Beyond the Blue Horizon
by HikarisDream
Summary: Victor Nikiforov is back in competitive skating and with the European Championship drawing nearer, he finally moves in with Yuuri. As he struggles to find a theme for his program, Victor realizes that after 20 years of being alone, he might have found 'home' in the unlikeliest of people and he really can't wait to show his love to the world. Victuuri Post-Canon Smut&Fluff
1. A Home at the End of the World

**Hey mina!**

 **I promised I'd post a multi-chapter fic after the season final and here it is! Or at least the first chapter of it! It's a canon continuation and this first part is basically the prelude to what is waiting for Yuuri, Victor and Yurio. I hope I read up everything about the World Championship correctly, but if you find any mistakes in future chapters please feel free to tell me so.**

 **Main pairing is VictorxYuuri, but I'll maybe also include others at a later point in the story. So far I think it will be about 10 chapters long, each of them about 5k long. But I'm usually bad at predicting such things, so don't blame me, if things turn out differently.**

 **Now, have fun with chapter 1!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Yuuri! on Ice All characters belong to MAPPA and Mitsurō Kubo**

* * *

 _ **Beyond the Blue Horizon**_

 **Chapter 1 A Home at the End of the World**

Katsuki Yuuri was nervous… no, scratch that… he was as close to dying as one could get and he didn't for the life him, understand why. It shouldn't bother him to leave his home again, nor to come to a foreign country… he'd done that plenty of times before in his life… but this time, he felt like his stomach was performing a quad flip inside of him… without a perfect landing that is… Yuuri felt sick and _giddy_ … and… God… how hard could it be, to officially move in with Victor?

Four weeks had passed since the Grand Prix Final and Victor's return to Russia. Four weeks, Yuuri had spent with preparations for his own departure. St. Petersburg it was now… well, after living in Detroit for five years, how hard could to be really? Even if Yuuri's knowledge of Russian was limited to very few words like _vkusno_ and _davai_ , which wouldn't help him at all… However, neither the foreign country nor language was what made his heart flutter with excitement and anxiety at same time.

It was the fact that he was going to move in with his coach, fiancé and fellow competitive skater Victor Nikiforov.

For Yuuri, who had never been in a relationship before, this was a major step. Well… to be honest, him and Victor had basically lived together for nine months this past year, but back then it had always felt like a temporary thing. This time, there was no mistaking their living arrangements for anything else, but a couple moving in together. No separate bedrooms or bathrooms. Neither of them a guest of the other one.

They would meet on even ground, just like other couples; a thought that was as alluring as it was terrifying for Yuuri.

Ever since he'd decided to follow Victor to Russia… as his fiancé as much as his trainee… the fear of somehow screwing things up had gnawed at his sanity, almost making him call off the move twice. Had it not been for Yuuko, who'd not only helped him pack his stuff, but also kicked his ass every time he'd gotten close to just staying in Japan, he'd never made it to the airport yesterday.

But here he was, with a little piece of paper in his hand that held Victor's address. The address that from now on would also be Yuuri's. He swallowed hard and took a breath to calm his frantic heart.

 _Stop making a fuss, stupid… a lot of people move in together… it can't be that hard_ , he told himself, shaking his head at his own anxiety. Well, he didn't flop his jumps anymore, that much was true, but he still hadn't overcome all his insecurities, yet and tended to overthink everything. His mind, he guessed, had a will of its own sometimes, providing him with the worst of scenarios.

He'd even dreamed that he'd arrive in Russia without Victor being there, for whatever reason. It was stupid, he knew it, but he just couldn't help it. Yuuko had of course assured him that nothing bad would happen and that she and Minako-sensei would soon come to visit Yuuri and Victor.

Running a hand through his slightly longer hair, Yuuri turned right and looked around. Victor had been unable to pick him up at the airport due to his practice today. Well, he had offered to skip it, but Yuuri had insisted that he'd be able to make it to Victor's house on his own, leaving them both with the compromise that Yuuri would transit from the airport to the city himself, but also that Victor would wait for him on the bridge close to the bus station where Yuuri had to get off.

The bridge wasn't hard to find really. It was the first thing he saw as soon as his turned his head, easier to miss though, would have been the brown poodle rounding the corner, had he not barked in excitement at seeing Yuuri.

"Makkachin!", Yuuri exclaimed shortly before being jumped at by fifty-eight pounds of dog, almost knocking him to the ground with an "Oooooghh"-sound. Victor's beloved dog had obviously been quicker to recognize the young Japanese skater than his owner had, and was now jumping happily around Yuuri's legs, demanding to be petted.

And Yuuri sank down to his knees and wrapped his arms around the excited dog, hugging him tightly. It was only now that he realized how much he'd missed Makkachin. The dog felt like a part of Victor and Victor was _home_ to Yuuri. Where ever those two were, would also be Yuuri's heart.

After thoroughly petting the dog's head, Yuuri finally looked up to spot the man they both, in a sense, belonged to.

There, on the middle part of the bridge, he could see two figures standing, one of them with silver hair, hands buried in the pockets of his winter jacket, the other one slightly shorter, his body more delicate and his blond hair sticking out from under the hood he wore to keep the freezing air at bay, leaning against the cold stone with one knee bend – Victor and Yurio.

Heart throbbing with a sudden rush of excitement, Yuuri started to run towards them with Makkachin at his heels, cars and busses driving past him as he came closer and closer. The cold, Russian winter air burned in his lungs, but he didn't even think about slowing down, all he wanted was to finally be with Victor again after weeks of separation.

He was only a few meters away from them, his breath coming in harsh pants and the cold air biting into the skin of his face, when Victor, who'd been talking to Yurio until now, turned and looked at him, his piercing blue eyes bright with the kind of joy Yuuri so much loved to see in them. Victor raised one hand to wave at him and called his name "Yuuri!". And Yuuri on the other hand sped up again, finally closing the gap between them as he almost jumped the last remaining centimetres and fell into Victor's embrace.

Strong arms looped around his shoulders and he felt himself being pressed against a warm, familiar body as he raised his head to look at the taller man. Victor looked just as gorgeous as Yuuri remembered him, with his sculptured face and breath taking blue eyes. The colour of the ocean on a warm summers day, when the sun glistened on shallow water. His ears were red from the cold and his lips looked chapped, but as he dipped down and pressed them against Yuuri's, they felt soft and familiar and… _perfect_.

"Hey, love birds! Stop that!", Yurio said, sticking his tongue out to express his disgust at the publical display of affections.

Victor chuckled against Yuuri's lips, but nonetheless broke the kiss and let go of his fiancé to give him the chance to greet the younger skater, who was still sulking, arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Yurio!", Yuuri exclaimed, turning around and opening his arms to hug him, but catching hold of nothing but thin air as Yurio jumped away from him.

"Hey, katsudon! I'm not your teddy bear", he protested, thin lips formed into a pout.

Now it was Yuuri's time to chuckle as he let his hands sink and tilted his head to the right. "I'm glad you haven't changed, Yurio", he said with a smile. It didn't matter that he'd left Japan again and would be living with Victor from now on. All his fears had been unfounded, because he already knew what he was getting himself into – not only with Victor, but also with Yurio.

He would probably feel a little anxious again soon, but for now Yuuri was just glad to be with his friends again, friends he'd been unable to make for the better part of his life, but had found them now in the probably most unlikely people on the planet.

Yuuko and Phichit had so far been his closest confidents, but he'd never had a problem leaving either of them behind, but the day Victor had gone back to Russia had almost ripped his heart from his chest and no matter how often they'd skyped during the past weeks, Yuuri had missed his fiancé more than he'd ever missed anyone before in his life. And Yurio… well… in some case he'd saved Yuuri from himself, not only by challenging him for Victor, but also by surpassing him by hairsbreadth in the Grand Prix Final and keeping him from retirement.

"What the hell are you talking about?", Yurio asked, his eyebrows raised and his right foot tapping on the ground impatiently.

"Doesn't matter. Just forget I said anything", Yuuri replied, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yuuri", Victor said, prolonging the 'u' in his name as he slumped forwards, half falling onto him, wrapping his arms around Yuuri's waist and resting his chin on his shoulders. "Welcome to Russia", he whispered, his lips a little too close to Yuuri's ears for comfort – on a public street at least.

Blushing a little, Yuuri turned in Victor's arms to talk properly to him, only to have his lips captured by a warm mouth again, effectively wiping every coherent thought from his mind.

"God… you two are awful… I'll get going. See you at practice tomorrow", Yurio said, rolling his eyes at the kissing couple and turning to leave, but looking back at them over his shoulder. "Oh and katsudon, don't you dare think you'll be spared tomorrow just because you only arrived today".

Victor laughed as he broke the kiss, his arms still looped around Yuuri's body. "He's glad you're here", he said, his voice rich with amusement and his eye sparkling with mischief.

Yuuri turned his head to watch the delicate figure disappear around a corner at the end of the bridge and smiled. "He's motivated for the European Championship I guess?", he asked, bringing a few inches between himself and Victor to better look at him.

"He would be more motivated if either you or Otabek were in the competition as well, but winning the Grand Prix gave him another huge boost in popularity and he wants to meet everyone's expectations", Victor explained with a strange half smile.

Yuuri just nodded, unable to speak for a moment. He remembered all too well how popular he'd been after everyone had found out about him making it to the Grand Prix Final for the first time. But he also remembered how miserably he'd failed at meeting any kind of expectation.

Yurio on the other hand, didn't have Yuuri's issues. He'd been confident to win from the very beginning, even at a point where Yuuri had not even been sure if he'd make it to the Grand Prix Series, much less to win the damn thing.

 _He's so young and yet so… determined_ , Yuuri thought. It was hard to imagine himself at the age of fifteen, when he'd still tried to copy everything Victor was doing. Yurio had already found his very own style and he would make it far in the skating world, probably becoming even better than Victor himself one day.

"Are you looking forward to meeting him in competition?", Yuuri asked. Of course they'd talked about skating a lot whenever they'd been on skype with each other, but so far their most discussed topic had been Victor's short program which he'd already finished two weeks ago.

"Not as much as I'm looking forward to meeting you", Victor replied with a smirk, earning himself a half-hearted slap against his upper arm from Yuuri who rolled his eyes at him.

"That's not a nice thing to say, Victor", he scolded, but his voice was warm and full of affection. He'd even missed Victor's sometimes playfully rude statements during their time apart and now remembered how embarrassed he'd been after his first encounter with this side of his idol. Being asked why he'd eaten katsudon if he hadn't won anything lately had certainly not been very nice…

"Yuuri, it's cold. Let's get you inside", Victor suddenly said, his hands closing around Yuuri's to warm them. Having entered the plane in the much warmer climate of Japan, it hadn't occurred to Yuuri to wear gloves and by now his fingers had turned red and stiff from the temperature.

"Yeah… it's freezing out here", Yuuri agreed, blushing a little as Victor brought his hands to his lips and kissed them tenderly, taking a little longer than necessary to slide them over the cold metal of the golden good -luck-charm-slash-engagement-ring Yuuri was wearing, his piercing blue eyes never once breaking contact with Yuuri's gaze, sending his heart into a frenzy.

How was he supposed to survive living with Victor when even the slightest of gestures made him come undone in his presence?

Victor smiled again, holding Yuuri's hands in his own, as he led him through the streets of the city, stopping every now and then to explain something to him that he deemed worthy knowing. It was Yuuri's first time in St. Petersburg and he was glad to be shown around a little before they just disappeared in Victor's apartment. If Yuuri was to live here from now on, he'd better know his way around.

To be honest, St. Petersburg was quite the opposite of Hasetsu. It had a lot of history and buildings from all kinds of centuries, being a remarkable witness of how time progressed and changed a nation. In contrast to Detroit which had basically been an industrial city with a lot of modern architecture. Here, in his new hometown, past and present seemed to come together. And maybe that was also true for Yuuri's own past and present.

They'd walked for quite some time, making detours on their way to give Victor the chance to show Yuuri everything he wanted to, before they finally rounded a corner and entered a street in downtown St. Petersburg, lined by houses built during the Russian Empire when the czar had still ruled the country.

"They are all renovated and modernized", Victor explained, pointing towards the large windows at the top floor of a building just a few feet away from them. "And that's where we're gonna live", he added, his eyes gleaming with delight. It didn't need any words for Yuuri to realize just how happy Victor was at them moving in together.

"Wow… that's…", Yuuri started, suddenly feeling sheepish. The neighbourhood looked like something he'd so far only seen on TV and known he'd never be able to afford living here. He turned his head, feeling the blush tint his cheeks and fidgeted.

"Yuuri, what's wrong?", Victor asked, sensing his boyfriend's change of mood and furrowing his brows. Sometimes it really was too easy to throw him off the track.

"I… I'm not as successful as you… I… it's way too expensive for me to live here", Yuuri whispered, his eyes still glued to the windows Victor had pointed at and his cheeks red with embarrassment.

Victor heaved a sigh and seized Yuuri's shoulders, turning him around to tear his gaze away from the building and meet his eyes. "Listen, Yuuri. I wanted you to come here and live with me. Don't give me that 'I don't deserve it' stuff, because it's not true, understood?", he said, his voice harsher than intended, but Victor had been concerned about exactly this reaction the whole day.

Yuuri just swallowed and nodded. Victor was right, wasn't he? It had been his wish for them to live together and Yuuri hadn't hesitated for even a second to agree to this. He wanted to be with his fiancé and he needed to make sure that his anxiety problems wouldn't get in the way of them being happy.

"Y… yeah… It's just all… a bit overwhelming, I guess", he said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck and Victor sighed again, but smiled warmly and shook his head, the bits of annoyance in his eyes being replaced by a strange kind of amusement.

"Let's go upstairs. Your stuff arrived yesterday already, but I didn't want to open anything without you around", Victor said, lacing his fingers with Yuuri's and pulling him towards the entrance.

Thanks to Minako-sensei, Yuuri had been smart enough to ship his belongings to Russia rather than take everything he could on the plane and leave the rest behind. It hadn't been the cheapest option to be honest, but even his parents had agreed on contributing to his expenses. Apparently, his mum was very fond of her son moving in with 'Vicchan', who'd already been accepted into their family.

Yuuri nodded and followed Victor into the historic building that looked nothing like it probably once had on the inside. They were greeted by a modern interior, and Victor walked over to the elevator, as he lived in the penthouse.

"It's very… beautiful… in here", Yuuri said, turning his head, as they waited for the elevator, to get a better look at the paintings lining the walls and the dark marble floor that was probably worth more than his entire house back in Hasetsu.

Victor furrowed his brows and followed Yuuri's gaze with his eyes. He'd never really thought about the place he lived in. After all, it had been Yakov who'd chosen the apartment for him some years ago and Victor had just accepted his coach's decision because it was close to the ice rink and yet in a good neighbourhood.

"I'm glad you like it", he said, feeling a little guilty that he'd never appreciated how much afford someone must have put into the design. He smiled a little. Again and again, Yuuri managed to amaze Victor with the things he said and considered. Somehow this easily flustered Japanese boy seemed to pay attention to things, Victor himself tended to overlook and by pointing them out to him, Yuuri made Victor's life more colourful and bright.

"I really can't wait to see your place", Yuuri suddenly said, turning his head and grinning at Victor happily.

"Well, let's get you up there then", Victor said, the elevator door opening before them and they stepped into the narrow cabin, Makkachin following them eagerly.

Victor took his keys out again and inserted one of them into the keyhole right next to the topmost button, turning it before he finally pressed the button and looked back at Yuuri, who'd been watching him intently. "The elevator is also the entrance to the penthouse. You can only press that button if you use a key", he explained, with a smile.

"And… what about visitors?", Yuuri asked, tilting his head a little, while the elevator started moving upwards.

"I can authorize the usage with a panel in the apartment. But strangers won't make to up there, if I don't want them to", Victor said, now fully turning towards Yuuri to stand in front of him. Safety had been one of the most important issues when Victor had bought the apartment. He had a lot of fans and not all of them showed respect when it came to his private life.

"That's good to know", Yuuri replied, smiling, as he leaned against the wall, waiting for the elevator to reach its destination, when Makkachin suddenly decided that it was a good idea to jump up Victor's legs, sending him crashing forward.

Gasping at the sudden shove, Victor braced his hands against the wall on either side of Yuuri's face, to prevent himself from falling, closing his eyes for a moment as he caught his breath. "What the-", he began, stopping abruptly when he realized just how close he was to Yuuri now.

Brown eyes wide and cheeks slightly red, Yuuri gazed up at Victor. He was practically trapped between the wall and his body, their chests almost touching every time Yuuri took a breath. Suddenly, one of the hands beside his head disappeared and next thing he heard was a short 'beep', indicating that a button had been pressed. Only a heartbeat later, the elevator stopped.

Victor had pressed the emergency stop.

"W… What are you doing?", Yuuri asked, his voice a little rougher than usual. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy being close to Victor, on the contrary, he'd been looking forward to spending time with him alone all day, but not in an elevator somewhere - he glanced at the screen above the buttons - between level 4 and 5.

"Just stealing a little time for the two of us", Victor whispered, leaning closer to Yuuri again, their lips now so close they slightly brushed while Victor spoke. The feeling sent shivers down Yuuri's spine and Victor smirked in satisfaction. He loved teasing his boyfriend. However, he had to admit that he wasn't opposed to someday use this elevator for far more than just riding up to his apartment. But today, he knew, was not that day.

A fact that still wouldn't keep him from having some fun with a flustered Yuuri, who kept blinking at him in disbelieve.

"V… Victor…", he began, bringing his hand up to press it against Victor's collarbone half-heartedly. He really wasn't the person for sex in public places, but he also couldn't deny his boyfriend anything.  
 _He's going to be the death of me_ , Yuuri thought, closing his eyes.

"You're too cute", Victor suddenly said, his voice warm and affectionate. He would never push Yuuri into something he didn't feel comfortable with and they still had a long way to go in their relationship even if they already knew that they just couldn't stand being apart. The last weeks had shown that very clearly.

Smiling at his flustered boyfriend, Victor leaned in and captured his lips in a sweet, loving kiss, his hands cupping Yuuri's cold cheeks and his thumbs lightly running over smooth skin. Yuuri's hand changed from pressing against Victor's collarbone to fisting his jacket to bring him closer, the action drawing a low chuckle from Victor that was swallowed by their joined lips.

The kiss was slow and almost chaste, as they moved against each other, relishing in the fact that they were no longer separated by thousands of miles, but able to touch, feel and hold one another again. It didn't matter that Yuuri still feared he'd somehow screw up or that they'd both be working hard in the weeks to come if they wanted to qualify for the World Championship. Yuuri had failed miserably at everything that came after the Grand Prix Final last season and Victor had been out of competitive skating for almost ten months.

Yurio was far more likely to take the gold home again.

"I'm glad you're here", Victor whispered, their kiss broken but their lips still so close they could feel each other's breaths fan over them.

"Me, too", Yuuri admitted, blushing again and looking absolutely adorable to Victor. A little like he'd done that day in Barcelona when they'd exchanged their rings. And never once had Victor taken that token of love off since.

He let his hand wander through Yuuri's hair, while holding his chin with the other one. "You're letting your hair grow out", he said, the strands slipping through his fingers, soft like little feathers.

"Ah… yeah… I should probably go see a barber soon. Mother also told me already", Yuuri replied, laughing shyly. He could of course have had his hair cut back in Hasetsu, but somehow he'd felt like letting it grow until he was finally back with Victor. It didn't make sense, Yuuri knew that, but love seldom did, so why bother?

"No, no, don't. I like it this way. It suits you", Victor said, bringing one of the longer strands to his mouth and sliding it along his lips with his eyes closed. Somehow the gesture felt far more intimate than the kiss they'd just shared and Yuuri trembled at the sight.

They were so fucking close. Not only physically but also emotionally and there was nowhere to run for Yuuri in the narrow elevator. Not that he wanted to, but sometimes it was just very reassuring to know that the possibility was available.

"Thank you", he breathed, Victor's hair slightly tickling his skin were it touched Yuuri's forehead, but he didn't move. Victor's scent and warmth were slowly seeping into Yuuri's very being, the room feeling far warmer than it probably was and he didn't want to destroy their moment by fidgeting.

Victor just smiled, his thump gently running over Yuuri's bottom lip reminding him of the day when he'd tried to bring out Yuuri's Eros. That felt like a lifetime ago. "You'll always be beautiful to me", he said, his voice softer than usual and his eyes holding a strange glimmer that Yuuri just couldn't identify for what it was, but it made his breath hitch.

Would there ever be a day when he wasn't completely enthralled by Victor?

Yuuri opened his mouth to say something back, his mind not yet having come up with a good reply, when Makkachin barked softly next to them, obviously done with his two daddies flirting in a narrow elevator. Victor laughed and turned to his dog, petting his head before he finally pushed the emergency stop again and the elevator restarted its way towards the penthouse.

Feeling slightly relieved, Yuuri let his breath out and watched as the numbers on the screen changed from 5 to 6, followed by a 'bling'-sound that announced their arrival in Victor's apartment. The doors slid open and Yuuri pushed off the wall he'd still been leaning on.

Makkachin obviously couldn't be happier to finally escape the narrow cabin and rushed past Victor's legs into the room, disappearing out of sight probably in search of food. Victor however, turned to Yuuri and reached out his hand for him to take to. There was a short moment of silence in which Yuuri's gaze travelled from Victor's hand to his eyes and back, before he laced his fingers through Victor's and let himself be pulled into the penthouse they'd soon share.

The apartment he walked into was nothing short of what he'd expected it to be. There was no hallway or anything, but a spacious room that served as both living room and kitchen, with high ceilings and large windows. The very same Yuuri had seen from down on the street. The furniture was modern and free of anything unnecessary like ornaments or adornments, yet expensive and tasteful.

"Do you like it?", Victor asked, standing right behind Yuuri's back and placing his hands on Yuuri's shoulders, the long fingers playfully running along the straps of the backpack Yuuri carried.

Yuuri half turned to look over his shoulder and meet Victor's eyes while eagerly nodding. "Of course I do. I mean, it's different from my place but…", he said, looking back at what was his home from now on, too. "… it reminds me of you, so… ". He trailed off, unsure of what else to say and hoping that his message had gotten through.

"So… you only like it because I live here?", Victor asked, obviously not grasping what Yuuri had been trying to convey.

"No, no, no, no, no", Yuuri said, turning around with his eyes wide and waving his hands in front of him. "That's not what I meant! I wanted to say that the style reminds me of you. Elegant, lean, a bit indifferent… And I… I like you very much so… it feels… quite nice to-". His words were cut short by Victor's lips yet again, but this time Yuuri just melted into his embrace, happy that he'd now understood what Yuuri wanted to tell him and he sighed in content when strong arms held him close and soft lips danced over his, leaving them red and kiss bruised as they broke apart.

"Welcome home, Yuuri", Victor said, leaning his forehead against Yuuri's and smiling at him. And Yuuri smiled right back at him, the butterflies in his stomach performing a wild dance that made him feel all warm and fuzzy.

"Thank you, for having me", Yuuri said, closing his eyes for a second to savour their moment of peace.

"I made room for your stuff everywhere, but it seems you didn't bring very much", Victor tilted his head, questioningly looking at his boyfriend. When he'd gone to Japan last year he'd brought half of his interior, but so far only a few boxes had arrived from Hasetsu and Victor wondered if Yuuri was holding back for some reason.

"I… I…", Yuuri stammered, suddenly feeling a lot more embarrassed than before and his cheeks were probably turning bright red. "I just… don't own that much, okay?", he said, his voice louder than intended, adding to his flustered state.

Victor blinked at him a few times. Well, he had to admit that Yuuri's room at his parent's house had been small, but somehow he'd expected the man to have some boxes from Detroit still piled up somewhere. "So… you brought everything?", Victor asked a little dump-footed.

Yuuri rubbed the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess so. I mean, I left some junk back with my parents, but I brought everything I value with me, yes".

"You are impossible", Victor replied laughing a little. "Okay, let's get you out of you jacket and then I'll show you around. And we'll go shopping on the weekend. I won't take 'no' for an answer. You need a larger wardrobe if you want to be my fiancé".

"Victor, why would I need a larger wardrobe?", Yuuri asked a little annoyed as he put his backpack on the ground and slipped out of his winter jacket.

"You need to be presentable, of course. You're going to be my husband and you have to accompany me at formal occasions. I can't have you wear that awful suit and tie I saw you in at the press conference last year", Victor explained innocently, as if that of course was the most reasonable cause for having expensive clothes, to look presentable next to figure skating legend Victor Nikiforov.

Yuuri just rolled his eyes and huffed. "If you insist", he said, putting his shoes on the shoe rack next to the door-slash-elevator. Russia or not, he wouldn't enter Victor's apartment with shoes on his feet.

"I'm happy you agree with me", said Victor, smiling happily. "Now, let me show you around before we start cooking. I'm starving, but I can't be a bad boyfriend and not give you a proper tour".

Chuckling lightly, Yuuri followed Victor through the living room towards a door to the left of the kitchen. Living with him was surely a challenge, but considering how very much in love Yuuri was with Victor, he didn't have any concerns that he'd be fine. They'd done it before and they could do it again.

Now he only needed to survive their shopping trip on the weekend.

 **Chapter 1 End**

 **To be continued…**

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 **That's it. The first chapter is done and as I said, it's just the prelude. Yuuri arrived in Russia and now it's time for him and Victor to get ready for their Championships. Next part will feature more characters as we'll see them at practice and probably a first smut scene, but I'll add a warning, so if smut isn't your cup of tea, you can just skip that scene. Otherwise, stay tuned for more! And tell me what you think guys! I'm always happy to include your wishes into stories**


	2. Home is Not a Place, it's a Person

**Hey guys,**

 **It took me a while to get this chapter right, tbh. And once way happy enough with where it was going, it got too long and I had to cut it in two XD meaning the smutty part of part 2 will be in part 3… I'm sorry! For those who wonder, yes this is domestic! Victuuri because those two really make my world go round XD So if you're here for the drama, I'm sorry to disappoint you XD**

 **Now, have fun with chapter two!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Yuuri! on Ice All characters belong to MAPPA and Mitsurō Kubo**

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 **Chapter 2 Home is Not a Place, it's a Person**

„I put all your stuff in here for now, but you're free to place it wherever you want in the apartment", Victor said, as he opened the door and revealed a spacious bedroom to Yuuri's sight.

The walls were white and the windows just a large as the ones in the living room, with the sunlight falling through them, drowning the room in warmth. The king sized bed however, was made of dark, polished wood with a canopy adorned with off-white curtains. It looked like probably the cosiest bed Yuuri had seen in his life.

He blinked and stared at the room, unmoving, drinking in the sight of quiet luxury, nothing too flamboyant, but elegant in its simplicity, the contrast between black and white mesmerizing. It looked very much like Victor – sophisticated in way Yuuri could only dream of ever being.

"You like it?", asked Victor, taking a step behind Yuuri, but leaning close enough to press his chest against the smaller man's back, his nose nuzzling the back of Yuuri's neck. He knew it was probably distracting, but he couldn't care less to be honest. Those past weeks without his fiancé had been harder than Victor could ever have expected.

Or, well, he could have.

The less than twenty-four hours they'd spent apart during the Rostelecom Cup had been bad enough for the both of them not to part from each other's sides for days to follow. With that in fresh memory it shouldn't have come as a surprise to Victor that he'd missed Yuuri the second he'd set foot into the plane to Russia.

His apartment, once the only place he'd felt safe from photographers and fans alike, had suddenly become too empty and too silent. And Victor had found himself more often than not listening for a door being opened or soft steps falling onto the wooden floor only to be disappointed when he realized that his mind was playing tricks on him.

Yuuri's presence had sunken deep into Victor's consciousness, having him around came to him as naturally as breathing and the sudden lack thereof had left Victor longing for something he hadn't known he would miss until he'd spent the first night alone in what was supposed to be his home.

But who was he kidding?

Home had long since become the place wherever Yuuri was. _Home_ was not a location or anything that could be pointed at on a map on the wall, _home_ was a person. The very person right in front of Victor and he felt at peace for the first time in what seemed like forever to him.

He took a deep, slow breath, Yuuri's clean, fresh scent washing over him and filling him up, making him drunk on something entirely different than alcohol. He ran his hands down Yuuri's sides until they rested on his hips. The gesture leaving Yuuri with a slight shudder.

"What are you doing, Victor?", he asked, still standing in the doorframe and not daring to enter the room. They both knew that from today on this would also be Yuuri's room and that he held the same rights to it as Victor did, but Victor also knew his fiancé well enough to have a good guess at what was going on in his head. Yuuri was holding back.

"Appreciating that you're finally here", whispered Victor, soft lips pressed against Yuuri's black hair, his voice slightly muffled. He could of course take a step back, but right now he felt a lot more like giving into his urges to feel Yuuri.

He knew he could take this only so far without overwhelming his fiancé and as much as Victor would have liked to just skip the tour around their apartment and drag Yuuri onto that vast bed they'd now share, to have his way with him – it would probably be too much at the moment.

Even with them being engaged, sexuality was still a delicate matter. Yuuri had never been with anyone before, boy or girl and Victor somehow suspected that his precious little katsudon might in fact be demi sexual, thus he'd lacked any kind of experience when it came to sharing passion. Victor had done his best to teach him and make him forget about all his insecurities, but Yuuri being Yuuri of course still had issues when it came to intimacy.

He had of course gotten a lot more confident about his body and sexuality when mastering his _eros_ theme and he was way beyond pretending to be either katsudon or a woman any longer, but dancing on the ice meant, Yuuri could put on a show. He might show their love to the whole wide world, but there remained a gap between him and his audience. A distance that gave him security. However, with Victor he had to tear down every last veil and open up completely, leaving him without anything left to hide.

For someone as closed up as Yuuri this meant a lot.

And Victor would always respect every part of his fiancé and not pressure him into anything. That meant, if he wanted to have sex with Yuuri, he would have to go about it a different way. Yuuri needed time to settle in and Victor would make him feel comfortable and safe before he made his move. And of course he would retreat if Yuuri told him to.

"I missed you…", Yuuri said, leaning back against Victor, pressing against his chest and cherishing his warmth that bled through Yuuri's shirt. The one he so desperately wanted to shed after wearing it during the long flight. He in general felt very much like showering, but he knew that Victor wanted to show him around at first. And that this meant a lot to Victor.

The way he walked and held his head told all about what he was feeling – proud to have Yuuri finally move into this apartment. He wanted to make this their perfect little nest, where they both felt relaxed and happy. Yuuri didn't have the heart to stop Victor in his excitement, not even for a hot shower.

Victor smiled happily, the fingers resting on Yuuri's hip holding a little tighter as he covered his shoulders in feather light kisses, applying pressure to the skin only for a split second. And Yuuri shuddered again, the feeling all too comfortable. Victor could be such a tease.

"I missed you, too", said Victor, voice low and serious. He didn't need to put on his overly excited face with Yuuri. It was of course a part of his personality, but over the years Victor had realised that people weren't interested in what he truly thought. The figure skater Victor Nikiforov was a highly artificial construct and with it came the omnipresent excitement and cheerfulness. The real Victor was a very different person and Yuuri had gotten his first glimpse at him that day at the beach in Hasetsu.

At the time, Victor had still felt a bit strange coming to Japan all of a sudden, but had started to slowly open up to the boy he'd met at the banquet after the Grand Prix Final. That day he'd realized that Yuuri wasn't one of his fans who only cared for the happy Victor, who shared a photo with them or gave them an autograph. Yuuri wanted to know the man behind that mask and Victor had slowly dropped it.

Ever since, Yuuri had seen him at his best and at his worst and loved him still.

Because really, even if they hadn't voiced the words yet, what else but _love_ could this be? They'd slept in the same bed for weeks before Victor's departure and they'd even had sex with each other, and Yuuri really was the last person to have a 'fling' or something. With him, it was total commitment or nothing.

And Victor had known that all along.

"Do you like it? The bedroom I mean", Victor added, relaxing against Yuuri and closing his eyes. He knew he would eventually have to let go of him, if he wanted to show Yuuri the rest of the apartment, but it wouldn't do any harm to just stay like this a few seconds longer.

"Yeah… I do… it's amazing…", Yuuri whispered, his gaze gliding over the well-chosen furniture, until he spotted an area on a shelf in the far corner of the room, where Victor's trophies were on display. However, they looked like they'd recently been pushed together to make them fit into one half of the shelf, leaving the other side unoccupied. "What happened to your trophies?", he asked a little surprised.

Yuuri himself had never cared very much about his own trophies, always handing them to his mum to decorate whatever room she wanted to with them, but then again, he'd never won anything significant. Victor on the other hand had won every price there was, including Olympic Gold.

"I made room for yours of course", Victor said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, but Yuuri suddenly turned in his arms, looking at him like he'd just seen a ghost; his eyes wide and his expression priceless.

"What?", he squealed, hands pressed against his mouth and cheeks already going pink.

Victor tilted his head to the side, looking a bit like a confused puppy. "Something wrong with that, Yuuri?", he asked and the innocence of his words and voice made Yuuri's heart constrict painfully. It was so easy to forget how pure Victor could be at times. He might come across as a flirt or even playboy, but he also had this other side to him. This very naïve side that reminded Yuuri so strongly of a child and only added to how much Yuuri loved Victor.

"Yes… no… I mean…", he trailed off, his forehead resting against Victor's collarbone. What was he gonna say? _'I don't have anything to be proud of'_? Well, he did… but what would the two Grand Prix silver medals look like next to Victor's grand collection of all kinds of golds?

Victor sensed Yuuri's distress and furrowed his brows. He'd expected his student-slash-fiancé to be happy about his achievements so far and he'd won a lot of trophies and medals in Japan. Victor had seen them decorating most of the rooms back in Hasetsu. "Yuuri…", he said, the 'u' a bit longer than necessary to get his attention.

Brown eyes met piercing blue ones and Victor held Yuuri's gaze with a warm smile on his lips. "This is about your achievements as much as it is about mine".

"What kind of achievements?", asked Yuuri, and it was obvious that he wasn't talking about Victor's but rather his own, or the lack thereof (the imagined lack!).

"Yuuri…", Victor said again, this time sounding even a bit upset, as if he took Yuuri's lack of appreciation personally. The innocence from moments ago was gone now and Victor knew that he had again dug up parts of Yuuri's mental problems. The part where everything he'd achieved in his life couldn't be that great, because otherwise he wouldn't have made it that far.

 _Oh, how wrong he was._

Yuuri was exceptionally good at what he did, he just couldn't see himself that way. Victor furrowed his brows again, before slowly leading Yuuri into the room. He wanted to try something he hadn't done so far, but maybe it was time for it now.

"V- Victor… what are you doing?", Yuuri asked, turning in his boyfriend's grasp to see where they were going.

Victor just smiled, his expression schooled and unreadable. He wouldn't tell Yuuri what he was up to, to keep him from building up his shields before they'd even started. Instead, he gently pushed him further into the room, his hands holding slender hips in a tight but not bruising embrace.

They walked a little awkwardly like this, but Victor didn't care. He had a purpose, not only as Yuuri's coach but also as his fiancé – as the person who cared the very most about him and to whom Yuuri's happiness was as essential as his own. They were bound to each other, the rings being the visible proof of their commitment.

Victor didn't know if it surprised Yuuri, but if it did, he kept it to himself, when they ultimately stopped in front of the full body mirror. Victor was well aware of the effect a mirror could have – everything on open display with nowhere to hide and for someone as private as Yuuri he imagined it to be quite challenging, but also very beneficial if one got over the first reluctance.

Ocean blue eyes travelled down Yuuri's body, taking in every curve and line, every shadow and every dip, making him feel exposed in a way that even lying naked beneath Victor couldn't accomplish. He couldn't hide from that penetrating gaze and no matter how much he wished to just disappear right now, he knew Victor wouldn't let him. Not out of spite of course, but because he wanted to make a point here. A point Yuuri couldn't see yet.

Silky lips travelled up Yuuri's neck, until they rested against the sensitive spot right behind his ear, puffing hot breath against still slightly cool skin. They hadn't been inside for very long, had they?

"What do you see?", Victor whispered, the touch of his mouth ghosting over the shell of Yuuri's ear, making him shiver in all the best ways at the sensation. Had he really forgotten how overwhelming Victor could be at times? His ever prominent presence looming over Yuuri like a pair of dark protective wings.

"You? Me?", he asked, not sure what to make of the question. All he could see was the two of them, with Victor's arms wrapped around Yuuri's waist, his chest pressed against Yuuri's back and their eyes meeting though the reflection of the mirror; Victor's _oh so blue_ eyes glimmering with a hint of gold in the afternoon light that fell through the windows.

Victor sighed a little, pressing his lips more firmly against Yuuri's skin for a second. "What else?", he asked, determined to make Yuuri see what everyone else - what _Victor_ – saw whenever he looked at him. This beautiful, perfect man who swept into his life to steal his heart and then flew away with it all the way to Japan and made Victor chase him down.

"I… I don't know… what you're hinting at…", Yuuri answered, his voice a little too high-pitched and his eyes lowered to the ground as if he wanted to escape Victor's smouldering gaze.

"Who do you see? And don't tell me your name now. Tell what makes you, you", Victor said, trying a different approach. He knew perfectly well of Yuuri's issues, as his coach he'd spent nine months fighting them, but this was the first time as Yuuri's fiancé.

"I'm… Katsuki Yuuri, I'm 24 years old, from Japan…", Yuuri huffed and stopped. "Really Victor, why are we doing this?", there was slight bit of annoyance vibrating in Yuuri's voice and it made Victor smile. Annoyance was a sign that Yuuri was relaxing, opening up, which to be honest wasn't something you could just take for granted given that he'd just moved to a country half a world away from his home.

"Okay, let's stop with you for now, and tell me what you see when you look at me", resting his chin on Yuuri's shoulder, Victor looked at him in the mirror, dark brows drawn together in the middle, lips pressed into a thin line for a second, before he parted them to give an answer.

"Victor Nikiforov, best figure skater in living memory, world record holder, my idol for as long as I can remember (Yes, he really said that because who was he fooling, they both knew it to be true, didn't they?), Olympic champion, living legend, my coach… my…", Yuuri paused, but Victor sensed that he wasn't done yet and kept quiet, waiting for Yuuri to say whatever it was he struggled with. "My fiancé", he finally said, breath shaking slightly and closing his eyes for a moment, as if he couldn't believe he'd really just said that out loud.

"Well, that's a lot of things", Victor replied sounding unimpressed when in reality he of course was. Even Victor _fucking_ Nikiforov felt flattered by this much praise in one sentence. Now all he had to do was make Yuuri see that he was nothing short of amazing himself. "Now, can you tell me something about you as well?".

"Victor I really don't see the point in this", Yuuri said, running a hand through his hair in frustration. Victor could tell that he wanted to escape from the situation, but he wouldn't let him. Not yet anyway. He slowly ran his hands up Yuuri's sides, holding him firmly in place.

"Okay, let me try. Katsuki Yuuri, Japan's best figure skater, world record holder, idol for a lot of young skaters all over the world, won silver at the Grand Prix Final, most delicious katsudon in the world…", Yuuri chuckled at this, because really, only Victor could say something this silly with a straight face. "… and most importantly, my beautiful fiancé", he finished, his hands on either side of Yuuri's arms now, palms pressed against soft fabric, making the warmth of his hands bleed though Yuuri's shirt and seep into his skin.

Yuuri blushed while looking at their reflection, opening his mouth in what Victor guessed would be an objection, but before he even got the chance to say anything, Victor had spun him around, away from the mirror, until they stood in front of each other, Victor's long, delicate index finger pressed against Yuuri's chapped lips to silence him.

"Now, I don't want you to ever question your achievements again. They are no less impressive than mine, especially that you broke my record in the Free Program, are we understood?", Victor said, his lips so close that Yuuri could feel hot breath fanning over his skin. Those hypnotic eyes held him captive, like a caged bird unable to fly until a door was opened to set him free.

"Yeah… we are…", he answered, feeling a little overwhelmed by all the things Victor had just listed, making it sound far more impressive than Yuuri could ever believe it to be. Or… was Victor right? Were Yuuri's achievements really this great? He did after all break Victor's old record. And if he claimed that to be worth nothing, wouldn't he also simultaneously diminish Victor's accomplishments?

Yuuri raised his hand and closed it around Victor's wrist, pulling the finger away from his lips; warm, brown eyes now fixed on the man in front of him. He had no reason to avert his gaze, no reason to feel small in his presence and he finally caught onto what Victor wanted to tell him, by having him watch them in the mirror.

 _They were equals_. They met on common ground now or rather on the same ice. Not only as figure skaters, but also as lovers. And that was exactly why Victor had moved his trophies aside and made room for Yuuri's. They were at eye level on the ice as much as off. As competitors as much as as lovers. And the realization struck Yuuri like a lightning bolt, setting his world on fire.

Victor smiled and watched the different expression having their way on Yuuri's handsome features as realization dawned on him and before he knew what was happening, slender arms were wrapped around his neck and the very same lips he'd touched mere seconds ago were pressed to his.

Little bubbles of happiness were popping in Victor's chest, filling him with a strange kind of joy, one he hadn't known before he'd met Yuuri.

 _Love and Life_.

It wasn't that Victor had never been with anyone before, he'd had flings, hell he'd even been in a relationship once, many years ago with girl at the time. And she's been kind and sweet and maybe all anyone could wish for, but all Victor had cared about was skating. Or… at least he'd cared about the ice more than he'd ever cared about her and at some point she'd walked out on him, unable to cope with him being more focused on the next competition than on her.

He couldn't blame her, but it had hurt like a bitch at the time and Victor hadn't been open for true commitment ever since. All he had had, were short flings with people whose names he never bothered to learn much less to remember, never once taking one of them to his apartment but meeting them in hotel rooms and leaving as soon as the deed was done.

For some time, he'd wondered, if he might be unable to commit himself fully to a person and start a real relationship. But here he was, being kissed in the middle of his bedroom, where he'd never taken anyone but Makkachin, by none other than his fiancé. The one person he felt like he'd been waiting for his entire life.

This beautiful man going by the name of Katsuki Yuuri, who loved Victor not for his fame, achievements or looks, but for his dorkiness, his forgetfulness and all the other little flaws that most people didn't want to see, because it would only shatter whatever wrong image of him they'd formed in their heads.

"Now, I really want to show you the bathroom. I have a very nice apartment, can't have you not appreciate it", Victor said, back to his cheerful mood a heartbeat after they broke apart and Yuuri shook his head because no one he knew could go from serious to silly in two seconds flat like Victor did.

Yuuri laughed, leaning against Victor's chest and puffing hot breath though the woolen fabric of his sweater. "Ready when you are", he said, looking up at him with a smile and Victor nodded and took Yuuri's hand to lead him out of the bedroom and into the bath.

Victor didn't care about much when it came to an apartment, he didn't spend this much time at home anyways (something that would change from now on), but the bathroom was the one thing he was rather picky about, because whenever he came back home either from a long day of practice or from a competition, he would first take a long hot bath to relax is muscles and clear his head.

Yakov had of course known about this one important point when it came to Victor's living arrangements and unsurprisingly, the bathroom was by far the most impressive room of all. With a tub made of black basalt and large enough for two people to fit in easily and still have room to stretch their legs. The tub sat neatly in the corner of the room, towered by frameless windows allowing a grand view over the city while soaking in hot water.

Yuuri could only imagine what it would feel like to float between the bubbles and see the stars and the skyline whenever he glanced out of the window. And really there was no way not to, as the vast windows stretched along the entire length of the wall the tub was attached to.

The room was filled with the scent of warm cinnamon and pine, smells Yuuri strongly connected to Victor because he used a shower foam called 'warm cinnamon nights' and it shouldn't surprise him that this room was practically drenched in it.

"Wow… that's… amazing", Yuuri said, walking into the room. He'd never seen a bath this vast, but then again he'd so far only lived with his parents and shared a cramped apartment with Pitchit during their time in Detroit.

Victor only smiled and leaned leisurely against one of the exclusive black marble sinks lining the wall opposite of the tub. The stone looked like something from a syfy movie, all smooth and black and traversed by delicate white veins. As if it had once been a living thing.

Yuuri ran his hand over the polished, flawless surface and stared at the contrast between flesh and stone. It was cold to the touch and despite its look absolutely even.

Blue eyes, bright with adoration watched Yuuri's every move. The fear that maybe all this was still too much for Yuuri loomed over Victor's head like the sword of Damocles. He wanted _his_ Yuuri to feel comfortable and welcome and _home_ here.

Contemplating on what to do next and maybe distract Yuuri from overthinking the whole situation, Victor raised his hand, his index finger pressed against his lips in what was his usual 'thinking pose' and Yuuri would recognize this gesture everywhere. He turned towards his fiancé and furrowed his brows questioningly.

"What are you thinking about?", he asked, stepping closer, entering Victor's personal space without even thinking about it, which was in itself a compliment beyond words, because Victor knew Yuuri well enough to know that he would never step over boundaries easily.

"How about a bath?", Victor said and flashed Yuuri a heart shaped smile. He wasn't really sure if that was indeed needed, but with Yuuri things could always take a surprising turn and with him usually trying to hide his anxiety, Victor decided to be rather safe than sorry. And taking a bath together was something they'd done plenty. It was familiar safe ground to tread upon.

Yuuri bit his bottom lip and looked around. It really was a tempting thought to get into that tub with Victor and watch the sunset over the city through those windows. And why shouldn't he do it? There was nothing to hide between them and a few weeks apart sure as hell hadn't pulled up a wall that separated them out of nowhere. Victor shouldn't have to _ask_ Yuuri for this and it bugged Yuuri that he did feel the need to do so. He should just walk over and start undressing him, instead of gaining his _permission_ to do… well… anything.

But maybe Yuuri had been rather tense at the beginning of their relationship and that said, he'd never been with anyone before much less lived with them. Maybe this was Victor trying to give him all the space he needed in case it all got too much. It wasn't needed however, Yuuri had quickly come to the conclusion that he belonged with Victor and there was nothing to feel anxious about with him. So, instead of voicing his answer, he closed the remaining gap between them and kissed Victor almost playfully before breaking away and moving over to the tub, making sure that his hip indeed were swaying as he walked.

 _Stupid Victor… always asking…_ , he thought, a very un-yuuri-ish smirk appearing on his lips as he leaned over the tub and turned the water on.

Victor chuckled softly. He did like his katsudon spicy to be honest. Seeing Yuuri's sassy side, the one Victor had always known to there, but Yuuri had kept hidden for quite some time at the beginning of their student-coach-relationship, was admittedly a major turn on. And the way those hips moved made Victor grow hot for a reason that had nothing to do with the hot water running from the faucet.

It didn't surprise Yuuri when strong arms closed around his frame and experienced fingers slowly opened the buttons of his shirt while warm lips ran along his neck, leaving open mouthed kisses as they went. Victor really didn't stand a chance when Yuuri turned his charms on, but he probably didn't even try to resist the temptation.

"Yuuri…", he whispered, lips curling into a fond smile against warm skin and the _u_ prolonged in a way that was so typically Victor that it made Yuuri's heart flutter for a brief moment.

He turned in Victor's embrace and captured his lips in a sweet kiss, hands boldly finding their way under Victor's sweater, to feel the flawless skin hidden beneath the fabric.

Yuuri had, to be honest, always been a sucker for Victor's abs. The feel of them, hard and defined but not overly so, under his fingertips made his lower regions stir with interest. He pressed his palm flat against the toned muscles, the heat of Victor's skin burning hot against Yuuri's cold fingers. He really should have brought gloves.

Exhaling sharply, Victor closed his eyes. Yuuri's touch was bliss and agony at the same time. "We absolutely need to get you into this tub".

A breathless chuckle escaped Yuuri's lips. It was all so _much._ He still couldn't believe that he'd really just moved in with Victor; like his brain was too slow to comprehend. But he also couldn't help the pleasant shudder that ran down his spine at the mere thought of getting into that luxurious tub with Victor.

Victor leaned in, whispering sweet nothingness into Yuuri's ear, as he slid the now open shirt over his shoulders, exposing bare skin to the light of the late afternoon sun. They'd shared many moments in naked companionship, but none of them had been like this.

The onsen back at Hasetsu had been like a small enclosure, hidden away from prying eyes and effectively also shutting out a lot of sunshine. Especially since Victor and Yuuri had taken most of their baths in the evening with not much light anyway.

Now there was nowhere to hide, no deep shadows to cover Yuuri's naked chest while Victor's gaze ran over him, hungry, possessive, _devouring_. And Yuuri shivered with all the pleasure of someone being eaten alive by those vivid blue eyes.

Soft thumbs found their way down Yuuri's chest, only briefly stopping to play with his nipples until they descended further down, touching every last inch of skin, feeling the smooth plains and ripped contours burning hot beneath cold fingertips, as they followed the incredibly sexy v-line that disappeared inside Yuuri's pants.

"You're still wearing far too much", Victor said, his voice a grumble from deep inside his chest, a promise of all the wonderful things he would do to Yuuri once he had him out of those constricting clothes.

Long fingers painfully slowly opened the zipper, the sound of metallic teeth springing free loud and dirty and _oh so_ alluring in Yuuri's ears despite the cascading water gushing from the faucet. The temperature seemed to suddenly spike and it was only now that Yuuri realized he was half hard already from nothing but Victor's eyes and the barely-there touch of his thumbs.

And Victor of course knew exactly what kind of effect he could have on someone, his beautiful lips turning into a half smirk as his eyes dropped down to where he was just now freeing Yuuri from the last of his clothes, shoving them down slender legs until they pooled on the floor, forgotten and forsaken by both men as soon as Victor closed the remaining gap between them, bringing their bodies flush together.

"Don't you want to undress me, Yuuri?", he teased, fingers tracing the line of Yuuri's jaw with a touch so light it could have been imagination as Victor watched the expression on the other man's face change. Yuuri didn't need to hold back, he'd mastered his _eros_ well enough to have Victor Nikiforov wrapped around his finger.

"Oh, I want to do a lot more to you than just undress you", Yuuri replied, bold now with a confidence that he'd lacked most of his life, but found ever more often now with this strange, wonderful man at his side.

Victor smiled, showing a row of perfect white teeth, as fingers, once clumsy and awkward but now steady and determined in their course, shoved his sweater up and yanked it off him with practiced ease. All too vividly did Victor remember Yuuri's first attempts at this, with shaking hands and his face flushed red. Now there was nothing but that smouldering gaze taking in everything Victor had to offer with a naturalness that made Victor's head swim.

He couldn't resist the urge to run his thumb over Yuuri's bottom lip, tugging slightly at it, like he'd done so shortly after coming to Hasetsu, when he'd first taught Yuuri about _eros_. The chapped skin was rough to the touch and yet so vulnerable. And Yuuri showed just how much he'd changed and learned since their meeting all those months back, when he parted his lips and darted his tongue out, running it over the salty tip, before taking the digit knuckle deep into his mouth.

Brown eyes alight with a fire Victor had never seen quite like this before, held his gaze, while Yuuri opened the buckle of his belt with a metallic click and made short work of the annoying garments until there was no barrier left between them. And it was _glorious_.

Victor swallowed hard. Yuuri's tongue was still teasing his thumb, running along the length and swirling around it, the mischief in those dark eyes telling Victor that Yuuri knew fully well that Victor would have preferred those lips and tongue to play with a part of his body that most certainly wasn't his thumb.

"If you don't get into that tub in the next ten seconds, I'm going to have my way with you right here on the floor", Victor half threatened, half challenged. He knew Yuuri wasn't someone to ever back down, accepting whatever life threw at him even if it was a figure skating legend with very thin patience.

A laugh all hot breath and slight panting escaped Yuuri's lips as he released Victor's thumb with a low _plopp_ and turned on the spot, not spending any view on his fiancé as he walked over to the tub, turned off the water and got into the bubbles with movements so inviting and yet teasing it made Victor believe he would cum from just watching.

 _How could anyone sway their hips like that?_

 **Chapter 2 End**

 **to be continued…**

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 **Haha, I know I'm mean to cut things off like this, but I'm always way too wordy when it comes to smut and I didn't want this chapter to be 8k long. I'm still trying to get a grip at their personalities, because really there's just sooo much to those two! So please have mercy on me! Anyway, I'd be happy if you told me what you think about the chapter. And if you want to read the smut, just stay tuned!**


	3. Warm Cinnamon Nights

**Hey guys,**

 **Soooo… I planned for the smut scene to be more or less 3k long… it didn't work out… here are 6k words of… well… them XD If you don't like smut, just skip the entire chapter, it's basically just the second half of chapter 2 and the plot will restart next time XD I'm so longing to finally introduce the other Russian skaters!**

 **For this chapter… well… it took me a while to decide how I wanted them to do this, but I'm happy with the way it turned out now. Took some writing and rewriting and rewriting again. Special thanks go to wonderful Eleanor Gray who stuck with me through all the struggling and provided amazing input! You're the best!**

 **Now enough of my babbling, have fun!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Yuuri! on Ice All characters belong to MAPPA and Mitsurō Kubo**

 **Warning: 18+ content. Full boyxboy. – don't like, don't read! You've been warned!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3 Warm Cinnamon Nights**

Yuuri still didn't look over his shoulder to where Victor was rooted on the spot, as he took the few steps leading down into the vast tub.

Who the hell had stairs in their tub, anyway? Well, Victor Nikiforov apparently.

The top most step was still dry, but warm under Yuuri's naked feet and so different from what he had expected it to be – cold and polished instead of warm and slightly rough. With the second step, he finally felt water wash over his skin, making him shiver a little at the stark contrast in temperature. If he'd thought the room to be hot, he now realized that the water was even more so.

His shiver of course had not gone unnoticed, but he really didn't want to look back. This was a game and Yuuri had learned how to play it. He knew exactly which buttons to press if he wanted Victor to come undone with desire.

So instead of giving him the attention he so desperately craved, Yuuri walked further down into the tub, foam and water rising along his body with each measured, slow step. He was hyper aware of his own body and the way it moved - an invitation more than anything else and really, he did crave it as well. He wanted Victor to _want_ him just as much as the other way around.

This was certainly not their first time to have sex, but the first time in this unknown, still unfamiliar setting. Yuuri had never been at Victor's apartment before and he'd half expected himself to fall back into his own old patterns, too shy and easily embarrassed to do anything but let Victor take the lead. However, here he was, swaying his hips as he walked down black stone steps into the most luxurious tub he'd ever seen in his life as if it meant nothing.

He trusted Victor with all his heart and there was nothing to fear, nothing to hide and nothing to shy away from. Victor's attention was additive like the sweet smell of early spring flowers and Yuuri selfishly wanted it all to himself.

By the time he reached the foot of the stairs, Yuuri stood almost knee deep and finally let his body glide beneath the surface with one fluid movement.

The water was hot and soapy and bursting with little bubbles rising from the bottom of the tub, prickling slightly on Yuuri's skin as they rose to the surface covered by a thick layer of white, fluffy foam. Everything smelled of cinnamon – warm and rich, just like the Christmas market in Barcelona, reminding Yuuri of the day he'd gotten his engagement ring.

Yuuri relaxed against the dark, warm basalt stone, mindful to keep his movements as promising and fluent as he did during his _eros_ program. Victor's eyes were still glued to him, Yuuri didn't need to look at the man to know that. The burning gaze he was regarded with could probably light his skin on fire.

Smiling slightly, he ran his fingers down his chest until they disappeared in the hot water, leaving to Victor's imagination what they were doing beneath the foam covered surface, hidden away from prying eyes.

The stone was hard and yet oddly… _light_ … under Yuuri's tips as he ran his fingers over the unknown material. The surface was sprinkled by little dips and holes pressing against Yuuri's oversensitive skin - his senses heightened from the heat of the water as well as the smouldering gaze that took in every last ounce of movement as if imprinting them into Victor's mind forever.

And Victor, so far, could do nothing but stare, his mind coming up with the lewdest ideas of what Yuuri's hands could do to himself beneath the water; delicate fingers wrapped around his cock, sensually running up and down his length with movements so inviting it made Victor's own arousal throb. He shivered despite the warmth ascending from the water, drowning the room in heavy, moist air that made it hard to breathe.

 _He's mine… all mine…_ he thought, not bold enough to voice what his mind was providing him with.

Not for Victor's own sake of course, but rather for Yuuri's. Sometimes it was still hard for Victor to grasp at Yuuri's moods and decipher what was too much for him and what not. Good thing about _eros_ was that Yuuri had come out of his shell, bad thing was that now the lines of what he felt comfortable with had shifted and sometimes even blurred, making it difficult for Victor to trace down Yuuri's boundaries.

Although, having bathroom sex obviously wasn't a problem, judging by how seductively Yuuri tilted his head back, exposing the perfectly kissable skin of his neck to Victor and looking at him through thick dark lashes; eyes half closed.

God… how was he supposed to survive living with Yuuri without losing his mind?

 _He's going to be the death of me_ , Victor realized, his lips slowly stretching into a fond smile that he couldn't have stopped, even if he'd wanted to. His eyes were glued to Yuuri, whose movements were measured, graceful, meaningful – an invitation that didn't need words. And who was Victor not to accept it?

He could feel his chest fill with a strange warmth and crossed what little distance there was between him and the tub, his eyes glued to the man already inside. Yuuri really had turned the water quite hot, Victor realized, but his patience was really running thin at this point and he choose to ignore how much the heat stung his skin because he hadn't gotten used to the temperature first.

Yuuri really was gorgeous like this, with the water gently rocking against his chest, cheeks flushed from the warmth and his eyes heavy lidded from both arousal and content. The small smirk was still in place and Victor half expected Yuuri to throw him a kiss, while Victor walked down the dark steps.

"Finally decided to join me?", asked Yuuri, his tone playful and voice rich with laughter that didn't quite make it past his chest.

"Well, I _was_ enjoying the view", replied Victor, sinking into the water and catching Yuuri's gaze for a second before glancing out of the window with a rather dramatic sigh. "I mean, St. Petersburg is just so beautiful during sunset, don't you agree?".

Obviously, two could play that game. But if Victor's words affected Yuuri in any way, he had learned to hide it from him, because he just laughed, bubbly and good-naturedly; his voice filling the room like liquid warmth and Victor's eyes were back on him unable to look at anything but Yuuri.

"Oh, I know something I'd much rather want to look at", he chuckled, still wondering where all this boldness came from. It was almost like someone had thrown his inner switch, but honestly… the entire moment was far too perfect to care what had changed to make Yuuri like this.

Maybe it was just the realization that he was indeed ready to sell his soul for Victor.

"Is that so?", Victor teased, leaning against the edge of the tub opposite of Yuuri, hands placed on the rim in what he supposed was a relaxed composure.

"Mhm", Yuuri confirmed, humming slightly, his lips showing a beautiful half smile that almost, just almost, made Victor forget about this little game and kiss Yuuri for all it was worth.

"And what might that be?", he inquired, tilting his head back, until it rested against the black, warm stone, and running a wet hand through his hair. It was easy to see the slight shift in Yuuri, as brown eyes followed the path some of the drops took down Victor's temple, the side of his face and his neck until they reached the well sculpted chest.

"A legendary ice skater", Yuuri said, a little breathless, but still determined to keep this going. And really, it was hot, seeing him like this, somewhere between lust and happiness.

Sex is only done right, when you laugh at least once…

"Does said legendary ice skater come with a name?", Victor asked, purring the words rather than speaking, the low vibrations of his chest echoing in his voice.

"Jean-Jacque Leroy"

Victor almost choked on the words, blue eyes going wide for a second before he pouted, deciding that he had enough and would let Yuuri win – _for now_. "Yuuri! You're wounding me! Come here", he said, reaching for his fiancé and pulling him on his lap.

Yuuri didn't resist, just laughed at Victor's expression, but followed the lead of his hand nonetheless. He felt light headed – light hearted. It was perfect. Them. This. What this was. It didn't matter.

"Sorry, Victor. Revenge is better served hot, you know?", he said laughing and smiling and almost giggling, his chest heavy with all kinds of emotions that were just too much to express.

"I have no idea about revenge, but you're definitely hot", Victor half joked, voice heavy now and arms wrapped around Yuuri's waist, hands travelling up his spine. The mood shifted again and Yuuri laced his fingers through Victor's hair.

"Kiss me…", he whispered, desire coating his words.

Victor's lips were soft and hot and demanding; the kiss open mouthed and filthy – all teeth clicking and tongues dancing and Yuuri was pressed flush against Victor's chest, the soapy water slickening their every movement. He yelped against the hot mouth when Victor suddenly jerked his hips up, cock brushing against Yuuri's.

"V… Victor…", he panted, breaking the kiss in need of air.

And Victor looked up at him, his chest constricting in the best way. He'd wanted to have Yuuri here, in his apartment, in his _life_ , so much for the past weeks that it now felt almost dreamlike to have him sit in his lap, panting and flushed – _just perfect_.

Something inside Victor shifted and fell back into place. Something that had always been there, but had never felt quite right. But it did now. This was what he needed. Everything he could wish for.

"Oh Yuuri", he whispered, reaching for his face to bring him down for another kiss, but stopped when he felt a warm palm firmly being pressed against his chest.

Yuuri shook his head, brown eyes glistening with confidence. This was it. Yuuri was setting the pace tonight. He was taking the lead instead of Victor and whatever had shifted just seconds ago felt now even better.

Soft lips brushed over Victor's temple. He closed his eyes, let himself be swallowed whole by the sensation. Yuuri's lips on his cheek, his jaw, his neck. Teeth playfully, experimentally nibbling at is pulse point leaving Victor breathless with desire. He would be _marked_.

Usually that though would have him push anyone he was with away, but Yuuri… with him the thought of being _owned_ made Victor's heart flutter and his cock twitch at the same time. Was he so desperate to give himself over?

Yes, he was.

A moan escaped his parted lips, his hands were buried in soft black strands, holding onto them like an anchor, while Yuuri's fingers brushed over Victor's nipples. The touch left him shivering, unable to stifle the low thrust of his hips that had his cock slide against Yuuri's.

A sharp hiss indicated that the friction was very much appreciated, but Victor didn't dare go further. Yuuri had made it clear that tonight Victor was at his mercy and honestly, the thought alone had Victor on the edge of coming.

"Touch me", Yuuri demanded, his breath hot against Victor's pulse, teeth scraping over his skin and fingers tracing the lines of his abs.

Victor's breath hitched. When had his mouth gone so dry? He couldn't recall. All he knew was that there was no way in hell he wouldn't do exactly what Yuuri wanted. Wasting no time, he let his fingers travel down Yuuri's spine, his touch light, tips only barely pressing against wet flesh, until he reached the base.

They wouldn't need lube with all the soap in the water, but that wasn't why Victor suddenly stopped. A thought occurred to him. Did Yuuri want to switch? To be on top? And if yes, would Victor led him? He never had… neither Yuuri nor anyone else. Control was often the only thing that had held Victor sane in his chaotic life.

"What are you waiting for? Prepare me.", Yuuri said, sitting up. His tongue darted out for a split second to moisten his lips. He was hot and cute all at the same time and Victor feared he would melt under his hands.

"I thought that maybe you wanted to top", Victor explained, hands cupping Yuuri's ass, but not going any further. Not until Yuuri had decided what he wanted to do, because Victor knew he didn't care. He might have never bottomed before, but with this man he would do it. Anytime.

There was a short silence in which Yuuri's kiss bruised lips formed a small 'o' before he shook his head. "No. Not tonight. I…", he trailed off, licked his lips again as if thinking about what he wanted. The look of determination on his face was pure bliss to Victor. "I want to feel you".

Victor released a breath he hadn't known we was holding until now. It wasn't that he was relieved or something, just glad that Yuuri at this point had become comfortable enough around him to actually voice what he wanted – voice and demand, that is.

And he was more than happy when Yuuri finally dipped down, his lips finding Victor's for another heated kiss. He took Victor's bottom lip between his teeth, nibbling gently, while Victor's hands kneaded his ass cheeks. Water splashed around them, as their chests collided; Yuuri bringing the man in front of him closer, making their erections brush.

Yuuri let go of Victor's lip, but never broke the kiss. Just moaned against him when he felt a curious finger circle his entrance, while Victor's other hand came to rest on Yuuri's hip, holding him steady. He might be in charge tonight, but that didn't mean that Victor didn't have to properly prepare him. It had been weeks since they'd last done this.

Slowly inserting a finger, a soft laugh, warm like a summer wind, spilled over Victor's lips. Yuuri sank his teeth into the skin of shoulder, probably leaving another love bite, but Victor didn't care. All he cared about was the steady rising and falling for Yuuri's hips. He was preparing himself on Victor's finger and really… this must be the hottest thing he'd ever seen in his life.

"Ahh… Victor… more", Yuuri's voice was high pitched, laced with need and desperate. He wiggled his hips in search of more friction… more sensation… _more everything_ and it was all Victor could do, not to just push three fingers inside already, because no matter how much they both wanted this, he would never hurt Yuuri. Not for anything in the world.

But he did follow the plea and inserted a second digit, watching Yuuri in awe as he threw his head back and rocked his hips harder. Just imagining him doing that on Victor's dick made his blood run hot. He could come undone by the sight alone.

 _So fucking perfect_.

"Yuuri…", he whispered, not knowing what it was that he wanted to tell him, but just responding to the need to say his name. As if that would be enough to say it all. Everything that had Victor's mind race at night when he thought about him. He leaned in and ran his tongue over one pretty, pink nipple. Yuuri tasted like soap and water and probably every chemical mixed into the foam, but underneath all that he tasted like _Yuuri_.

Just like he always had, when Victor had been unable to keep his tongue to himself.

Happy with the response he got, Victor nibbled at the sensitive nub, simultaneously inserting a third finger into Yuuri to stretch him properly.

He'd dreamed about this. About having Yuuri in this tub and make love to him against the darkening sky of St. Petersburg. The moon and the stars their only witnesses. Just like tonight.

"V… Victor…", Yuuri moaned, his eyes closed, his hips rocking up and down and his erection brushing against Victor's with every movement; bringing him too fast too close to the edge already. And this was not what Victor had had in mind for their reunion, coming too soon because he got swept off his feet by the force that was Katsuki Yuuri.

Naturally, it took Victor by surprise, when Yuuri suddenly jerked his hips up, Victor's fingers slipping out of him in the upwards motion. "Yuuri? What-", his sentence was cut short when gentle fingers closed around his dick and Yuuri rose to his knees in front of him, lining Victor's cock with his entrance.

"I want you inside of me", Yuuri breathed, lowering himself onto Victor, taking him slowly in. And Victor had both his hands on Yuuri's hips now, not to keep the smaller man steady but solely for himself, because he feared he'd lose his mind of didn't hold on to _something_. His grip was probably hard enough to leave bruises, but Yuuri didn't complain and Victor was sure he would come just from sinking into Yuuri if he loosened his grip.

Yuuri was warm and tight and all kinds of perfect, just like Victor remembered him – only a million times better. The sun could set and never rise again for all he cared if that meant Victor could stay like this forever.

He let his hands slide up Yuuri's sides, brushing them over wet skin and tracing every ridge and dip of his chest and abs, even the thin vertical lines beneath the navel – silent witnesses of Yuuri gaining and losing weight. They made him all the more adorable in Victor's eyes.

Delicate fingers looped around his shoulders, allowing Yuuri better purchase to slide up and down Victor's erection, his pace increasing, as blunt nails dug into Victor's skin. Yuuri's lips parted and soft moans spilled over them every time Victor hit him deep inside – a beautiful melody far more alluring than any song could ever be.

"Ah… slowly… please Yuuri. I'm gonna cum if you keep that up", pleaded Victor, looking at Yuuri through thick silver lashes, his hands shaking with the effort to keep himself from falling over the edge. And Yuuri smiled down at him gently but with all the confidence of a man who had Victor Nikiforov in his hands and completely at his mercy.

Yuuri didn't say anything, but slowed down, his hips now a lot steadier and Victor sighed heavily, the boiling heat in his crotch subsiding gradually until they settled for a slow, intimate rhythm, less desperate, the water no longer splashing around them, but softly rocking against their heated skin. This was better than any needy thrusting could ever be. It was open and pure and deep and the most erotic thing Victor could imagine.

He reached up, cupping Yuuri's face and running his thumbs gently over flushed cheekbones, pulling Yuuri down to kiss him. Not hot and filthy like before, but long and deep, his lips dancing over Yuuri's; tongue tracing their outline. "Can we continue this on the bed, my _zolotse_ (Золотце)?".

Yuuri looked at him for a long moment, his movements stilling. Victor was asking him for permission… _him!_ This was almost too good to be true. But here he was, in Victor's home, waist deep in soapy water, riding the man of his dreams, who'd just asked him if he would allow them to continue this on the bed!

Deciding now was not the time to get overwhelmed by this, Yuuri moistened his lips, not missing how Victor's eyes darted down to follow the path of Yuuri's tongue, before he answered, far cockier than he actually felt: "Only if you make sure that I won't miss _you_ for a second".

It didn't take a genius to know what Yuuri meant, considering the way the _you_ rolled off his tongue, thick and heavy with meaning. Victor visibly swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. Yuuri was asking him to not break their connection while he carried him to the bedroom. Well, that was a challenge.

"Someone's bossy tonight…", he said, wrapping his arms tightly around Yuuri's waist. Long, slender legs closed behind Victor's back, and nails, softened from the water, dug into his shoulders. He didn't know why, but something inside his chest just yearned for having Yuuri on his bed, spreading him open and claiming him – slowly, passionately _, the whole night_.

And Yuuri never remembered how he'd gotten there, but next thing he knew, he felt soft sheets, now soaked with water, in his back as he was placed on the mattress of the large four-poster bed, the curtains falling shut behind Victor, who now hovered over Yuuri, piercing blue eyes bright in the dimly lit space of their little enclosure.

A little bubbly laugh escaped Yuuri's lips, but was soon replaced by the same moans he'd uttered before, bits and pieces of Victor's name, the syllables rough and broken, because Yuuri was way too occupied with feeling instead of talking and with Victor on top of him now, every coherent thought had gone flying out of the window.

The thrusts were still shallow and languid, the rhythm slow, loving, _caring_ in a way that made Yuuri's heart flutter, but wasn't nearly enough to satisfy the craving that had settled in his guts. He'd grasped that Victor wanted this to last and drag out every second of it – their tender reunion after weeks of separation. It made Yuuri desperate for more. "Ahhh… Victor… more", he moaned, not really a plea but rather a demand again. Yuuri wouldn't let Victor take the reins again.

"So impatient…", whispered Victor, all hot breath and deep voice right next to Yuuri's ear, lips tracing over the sensitive shell, sending waves of pleasure down his spine. Despite his words, Victor's thrusts at least hit deeper now, angled to brush over Yuuri's prostate with every stroke. It was liquid bliss in his veins.

"Aahhh… yes just like that. Harder, Victor, harder", Yuuri tried to edge him on, get him to hit that one spot with more force to fuel the steady heat in Yuuri's crotch, coiling and uncoiling, burning through his guts – _so good_.

Yuuri's right hand was above his head now, fisting the soft wet sheets, giving him purchase to move his body with Victor's rhythm – make him go deeper every time he thrust back in.

"I'll cum if I do that", Victor rasped, tracing his tongue down Yuuri's neck, tasting him and taking in his unique scent that now lay hidden beneath thick waves of cinnamon, but was still there, subtle and calming.

Dark eyes, previously closed in pleasure, now opened to look straight at Victor. They were darkened by lust, glazed over and heavy lidded – bedroom eyes. Even more beautiful than Victor remembered them. He felt captivated, unable to deny Yuuri anything.

"I want you to. Come inside me and take me with you".

Victor bit his lower lip. The words alone send sparks down his crotch. Yuuri looked like a deity beneath him, with his red cheeks, dishevelled hair and parted lips. How could anyone say no to him? Capturing Yuuri's mouth for a long kiss, Victor increased his speed, sliding out of the body beneath him, letting the heat of it edge him on as he dove back in and swallowed Yuuri's cries of pleasure with a kiss.

Who knew he could be this vocal and demanding when he'd been so passive during their first time, inexperienced but willing to give himself over to Victor's care. Now he'd found his _eros_ in the bedroom and it made Victor boil with desire.

Heat tugged at his guts as the speed increased. Yuuri was hot and wet and velvety and Victor wanted to lose himself in this- the moment, the sensation, _Yuuri_. The edge was close already and judging by how much Yuuri withered and twitched beneath him, Victor wasn't alone in this. He wrapped one hand around Yuuri's cock, hard and slick with precum, and started stroking him in time with his thrusts. The skin was hot and yet soft under his touch and Yuuri whimpered against his lips seconds before he came undone, sending Victor crushing into his own climax.

"Ahhh… Victor…", Yuuri moaned, breaking the kiss and spilling his seed between their joined bodies as white hot pleasure crushed through him, his muscles contracting, leaving him shaken and boneless, riding out every last drop of ecstasy.

Victor moaned at the feeling of Yuuri moving his hips along Victor's oversensitive, now softening cock and brought their foreheads together, serene smile adorning his lips, blue eyes gazing at brown ones lovingly. "You're amazing, my Золотце", he whispered, his body now weak from the force of his release but utterly satisfied.

Yuuri gazed up at Victor, furrowing his brows slightly. "Care to tell me what that means?", he asked, his breath still coming in harsh pants as he raised one hand to trace it through Victor's soft wet hair. Little droplets of water were dripping down on Yuuri's chest, sliding onto the sheets and leaving a barely visible path on his drying skin.

"Little piece of gold", explained Victor, not sure of it was too sappy a name, but he thought it to be fitting, so…

And Yuuri blushed slightly, his fingers playing with Victor's hair, fumbling and tugging a little while he bit his lower lip, thinking about the name. His mouth formed a small 'o' when realization hit him. Piece of gold… He wished he could bury his face anywhere, but Victor was above him and round him and still inside him, with his arms placed on either side of Yuuri's head. A perfect cage named Victor.

"You like it?"

There was only a small trace of insecurity in Victor's voice, but Yuuri caught onto it. He wasn't the only one struggling with the concept of a relationship. Yuuri propped himself up on his elbows while bringing Victor's face closer again, lips brushing over lips until they melted into a kiss again.

And Victor's tongue was in his mouth, playing with Yuuri's, sending new sparks down his spine and making his cock stir with newly woken interest. Victor was addicting – everything about him. The way he moved, the deep timbre of his voice, vibrating in his chest, his piercing blue eyes the colour of the vivid Hasetsu ocean on a bright day that followed a stormy night.

Yuuri arched his back, sliding his hardening cock against Victor's thigh and drawing a chuckle from him. "Yuuri, I can't keep up with your stamina, you know that", he said, breaking the kiss, but looking down at Yuuri with all the adoration of a man too deeply in love to think straight.

"So, we can't do it again?", Yuuri asked, voice a hint of shy now and cheeks slightly blushing. It wasn't that he was embarrassed, he just… didn't want Victor to get the wrong impression. But how could anyone resist Victor? He looked like a Greek God and Yuuri had him all to himself. A miracle surely…

Victor hummed slightly in thought, the sound doing all kinds of funny things to Yuuri's libido because who was he kidding? He was a sucker for Victor's voice. Wouldn't tell him though… Victor would only use that against him.

"We could switch, you know?", Victor proposed, showing Yuuri a sweet smile that had his heart flutter in his chest. Victor wanted them to switch? Like in… Yuuri actually taking Victor? His throat clogged up and his tongue suddenly seemed to stick heavily to his gum. He wanted it… really, really wanted to top Victor.

"You sure about this?", he asked, arching his back to meet Victor and brushing his lips against Victor's. The other man didn't strike him as someone who'd hand over control so completely, who'd let another person penetrate him, let alone Yuuri, who had close to zero experience on the field of sexuality.

Instead of answering, Victor switched their positions with a fluent, swift motion, suddenly resting beneath Yuuri on soaked sheets, his cheeks still red from the past climax and his hair wet from the tub. He'd never been more beautiful. "I want you to prepare me", he breathed, fishing for the lube he'd stashed in the bedside cabinet.

Yuuri moistened his lips, feeling a little nervous about this. But hadn't he been mortified by the prospect of dancing to _eros_ at first as well? And how had that turned out for him? No, he could do it. With Victor by his side, he could do anything. Yuuri nodded, slickening his fingers with the lube and taking a deep breath.

The thought of being _inside_ Victor made his cock throb already, but Yuuri took his time to slowly slide a first finger into his fiancé, watching in awe how his expression changed, from somewhat tense to surprised bliss, as if he'd never imagined it to feel this good. And Yuuri remembered how Victor always treated him and curled his finger up to brush against his sweet spot, knowing how incredible it felt to be touched there.

"Ooohhh Yuuri…", Victor moaned, the vowels thick and long rolling off his tongue, Russian accent now more obvious than ever, as he fisted his hands into the sheets and rocked his hips. Yuuri might have the better stamina and be ready for the second round already, but if they kept this up it wouldn't take long for Victor get hard again.

"気持ちいい? ", asked Yuuri, falling back into his native language. "Does it feel good?".

"Y… Yes. Keep going…", Victor's voice was rough now, laced with a hint of desperation and Yuuri decided that he couldn't wait any longer and inserted a second finger, stretching his lover open and making him wither in desire, cock slowly stirring back to life.

Love means to give and to take in equal amounts and giving Victor pleasure filled Yuuri with a strange warmth, radiating through his body, leaving him with a satisfaction that could never be gained by just receiving Victor's love. They were equals. Not only on the ice, but everywhere.

"Yuuri… Voydi v menya (Войди в меня)…", whispered Victor, one hand running through Yuuri's damp hair. "Enter me…". He wanted this… all of it. Yuuri, his warmth, his love, his dedication – everything. Even if he knew that a bit more of preparation would be better, since this was his first time bottoming.

"Victor… it's too soon", Yuuri said, shaking slightly. He wanted to give in, wanted to enter him and make him his and feel every last inch of Victor Nikiforov. Wanted to seduce him and make him come undone. Wanted to be the only thing his life revolved around, if only for a few hours.

"Just take it slow and be gentle, Yuuri", the words were no more than a whisper, breathed against Yuuri's parted, bitten and kiss bruised lips, but they hit him with the force of a November storm, shaking his very being.

Carefully hooking Victor's leg over his shoulder, Yuuri got into position. His erection hot and twitching already, the very thought of entering Victor tugging at his sanity. He half expected to wake up any minute back in Hasetsu and realize that all this was just a dream. The wakeup call never came however. Instead Yuuri found himself slowly sinking into a pool of velvety heat, engulfing his very being, swallowing him to the core.

And Victor moaned lewdly at the feeling of gradually being spread open, the sensation every bit more intense than he'd ever imagined it, leaving him thoroughly exposed. With their current position and Yuuri penetrating Victor's physical boundaries, there was nowhere to hide anymore. He tensed at the thought.

Could he really do this? Let Yuuri know all the ugly sides of him? His deepest desires and biggest fears, all laid bare for him to see, when Victor couldn't stifle the filthy sounds spilling from his lips? The image of the perfect Russian hero cracked and shattered beyond repair and Victor had to trust Yuuri to love him all the same, not matter what he found under the perfectly maintained mask that hadn't slipped in over twenty years.

Of course Yuuri sensed his distress, his insecurities and sudden change of mood, one arm now covering Victor's face as if to shield him from his lover's gaze.

Gentle fingers traced along the knuckles of Victor's hand, not tugging or applying any kind of pressure or force… just touching ever so lightly, giving comfort when it was needed the most.

"Yuuri…", Victor panted, voice choked by emotions too raw to name, as he cautiously raised his arm, allowing Yuuri to look at his face and into his eyes, only to be swallowed by those brown orbs, filled with something Victor hadn't seen in more years than he dared to count.

A reply never came, at least not a vocal one, but Yuuri very tenderly took Victor's hand and laced their fingers together, a gesture that had all remaining barriers melt away in seconds.

 _The lover's bind_.

That's what they called this in Japan, where the simple touch meant so much more than anywhere else. But Victor had learned about it all those months ago, after the Cup of China, where Yuuri had done exactly this for all the world to see. A promise of love and devotion and adoration that could never be put into words.

Yuuri would never recoil from him. Never abandon him. Never leave him. But always stay close. No matter what he found when he gazed into Victor's very core and made him come undone beneath his hands.

There was nothing to hold back and nothing to fear. Yuuri loved him unconditionally. _Agape and Eros_. Going hand in hand. Joined in the one person, Victor could trust completely.

"I'm yours… no holds barred…", Yuuri whispered, the meaning of the words sinking deep into Victor's consciousness, settling there and making his heart hurt in the best way. They had him arch up to meet Yuuri's lips and kiss him softly, the tension falling away from him, leaving him open to fully enjoy the feeling of his fiancé moving inside of him.

And Yuuri leaned down to press his forehead to Victor's, thanking whatever deity there was for the flexibility of figure skaters, and breathed his lover's name over and over while he slowly, languidly and lovingly thrust inside him, their hands still joined in the lover's bind as they moved as one.

The burning need of their first round was gone, replaced by a deep feeling of belonging that could never be satisfied by hard, frantic thrusts, but needed a different pace, all affectionate touches and sweet kisses, accompanied by an unagitated rhythm. Every stroke long and deep and just so _right_.

This wasn't about coming; it was about feeling.

Yuuri didn't know how long they remained like this, kissing and touching, while he moved in and out of Victor, their bodies joined in the most perfect way, but he never found sleep before the sun came up and that surely counted for something. His stamina if nothing else.

 **Chapter 3 End**

 **to be continued…**

 **A/N:** The translation for the Japanese and Russian words:

Золотце - spoken: _zolotse_ means 'little piece of gold' (which I found very fitting XD)  
Войди в меня - spoken: _Voydi v menya_ means 'enter me'  
気持ちいい - spoken: _kimochī_ means 'feels good?'

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 **Okay… we're done. I'm done. Exhausted really XD More plot next time, I promise! How did you guys like it? Next chapter will include Yakov and the Russian team and probably Victor losing his mind over Yuuri every once in a while XD This is so domestic, it makes me want to crawl under my blanket in shame, but I can't resist XD So, for more fluff, stay tuned!**


	4. I carry your heart with me

**Hey guys,**

 **The chapter took me a while to get it right. Well, I'm still not quite happy with the last part, but I didn't want to keep you guys waiting any longer, so I decided to leave it for now.**

 **Remember when I said that the story might be about 10 chapters long? Well… I was wrong… there's just so much in my head that I want to tell in this story, and 10 chapters really won't be enough. You're in for the long shot, I guess. Sorry.**

 **I didn't plan for the breakfast scene to be this long (haha, I'm so bad at keeping things short), but I got carried away a little. I hope you'll like it, because I really enjoyed writing it.**

 **Okay, enough said for now. Enjoy the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Yuuri! on Ice All characters belong to MAPPA and Mitsurō Kubo**

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 **Chapter 4 I carry your heart with me**

Warm morning light was falling through the drawn curtains, painting all kinds of beautiful shapes on white sheets by the time Yuuri woke and blinked against the sleepiness, long black eyelashes still heavy from the night. He could feel a comfortable weight on his chest, the warm duvet still wrapped tightly around his body as he snuggled into it.

He felt more relaxed than he had in weeks, with the soft mattress of a large bed beneath him and the silk of the sheets hugging his body. Part of him didn't want to wake up yet, but consciousness pulled relentlessly at his senses, dragging him out of dreamland and into reality.

The other side of the bed next to him was vacant. Yuuri knew it without even opening his eyes. The sheets were still slightly warm, but Victor himself was gone. Probably taking care of Makkachin, whom they'd both neglected a little the previous day.

Yuuri groaned slightly and buried his face in the soft pillow. It smelled like Victor. Everything did.

His scent was everywhere, covering Yuuri like a silken cloth – cinnamon and pine. Everywhere. It didn't bother Yuuri of course, just made it all the harder to get out of bed, because pressing his nose into the warm sheets that held Victor's smell made his heart flutter with a strange happiness.

 _I'm so pathetic, sometimes_ , he thought, grinning against the exquisite fabric. It was a little pathetic, wasn't it? To stay in bed just to feel wrapped in Victor's scent a little longer instead of just getting up and going to see the real Victor.

And Yuuri really wanted to get up. He wanted to find Victor and make breakfast with him, maybe even served in bed if they managed to get back here once their meal was ready. It would be perfect, wouldn't it? For them to share a lazy morning after such a… heated… night?

Yuuri shifted and sprawled out on the vast bed, one hand covering his face as he thought about last night. Had he really done that? Topped Victor? Good grief, where had all that _eros_ come from? The memories were slightly blurred, but the heat in his guts told Yuuri that he'd enjoyed their switched roles very, _very_ much.

Raising his hand from his face, Yuuri looked at the empty space next to him. Victor was gone now, but the memory of him sleeping close to Yuuri last night was still fresh. He had seemed so relaxed, at peace, so _himself_ that it tugged painfully at Yuuri's heart to think about how often Victor put up a show for fans and reporters. The sleeping man from last night was the real Victor, the one only a few people were lucky enough to see.

And Yuuri was one of them.

A low sigh escaped his lips as Yuuri let his hand slide from his face and propped himself up, the duvet falling away from his body, exposing it to the chilly air of the room and not making it any easier to disentangle himself from the warm sheets.

Rubbing his face one last time, Yuuri drew away the curtains just enough so he could swing his legs over the edge of the bed. Outside their little enclosure the air was even colder, making goosebumps run along Yuuri's skin.

The windows were frozen; the icy winter air leaving beautifully fragile shapes and patterns on the damp glass. They were glistening in the sun and Yuuri felt the urge to get closer and press a hand against the window, but he knew he'd only touch cool glass. The ice flowers were on the outside. Astonishingly pretty to look at, but impossible to reach.

Shivering slightly, Yuuri looked around. His clothes were still packed in the boxes he'd meant to empty yesterday but had completely forgotten about once he'd gotten into that tub with Victor. Well, he'd just have to borrow something from him then, because walking around wearing nothing but the boxer briefs Victor had given him (which he'd miraculously remembered to put on after their love making) was out of the question with the apartment this cool.

"Russian winters…", he muttered, glancing around in search for something to wear. (He really didn't feel like rummaging through the closet yet, even if he would live here from now on.) Finally, his gaze locked onto a jacket. A very special one that is.

Victor's red and white Russian skating jacket was hanging innocently over the backrest of a nearby chair, looking warm and cosy and probably smelling of Victor. Yuuri's fingers itched. He knew it was a huge step into Victor's personal space, if Yuuri were to put this on, but he'd always wondered what the fabric felt like.

As Yuuri's coach, Victor had never worn this jacket. It was the last remaining item that connected Yuuri to a past where he'd been unable to even talk to Victor, but now it was there, waiting for him to take it, put it on and claim this last sign of a past that they'd both overcome.

He got up from the bed and reached out for the jacket, fingers tracing over the smooth fabric. It was slightly cool to the touch, on the outside at least, but the inner lining was quite fluffy and would keep the wearer pleasantly warm. Made for a day in a freezing ice rink.

Biting his lower lip, Yuuri took the jacket from the chair and slipped it on, the fluffy fabric oh so soft against his bare skin, hugging his arms tightly and making him feel instantly warm. He closed both his hands around the collar, bringing it up to his nose. The entire jacket smelled like Victor. Like love. Like home.

Yuuri sighed happily.

He turned on his heels, suddenly feeling a lot more energetic than just a few minutes ago, and, with a last glance back at the bed, he opened the door leading to the living room-slash-kitchen to greet a waiting Makkachin and hopefully Victor.

* * *

Victor on the other hand, was already up and about. He'd woken sometimes earlier this morning, with a sleeping Yuuri draped over him, looking absolutely content and cute beyond words. Victor could probably have stayed in bed like this for ages, if it hadn't been for the significant lack of Makkachin in his bed. All night Victor had snuggled up to Yuuri, arms draped around him and nose nuzzling him in his half-conscious state of knowing, but it had somehow slipped his mind to let his dog back in before drifting off.

Poor Makkachin wasn't used to not sharing Victor's bed and had probably been upset and hungry, while waiting for him in the main room. And Victor had been unable not to get out of bed to care for his beloved pet, careful not to wake Yuuri as he left.

With Makkachin now fed, Victor had decided to surprise Yuuri with breakfast, which lead to him currently standing in front of the stove, pan in one hand, spatula in the other and blinis happily cooking away, while a soft sigh fell from his parted lips. He ran his tongue over them, confirming what he had assumed already. They were rough and kiss bitten and a little sensitive to the touch. A slight sting, whenever his tongue pressed against a certain spot.

It was exactly where Yuuri had bitten down on, the moment he'd reached his climax a second time, cuming into Victor and leaving him exposed and vulnerable in a way nobody else ever had, because Victor had never been able to open up enough to let anyone penetrate him.

He had enjoyed sex almost all his adult life, with various partners, male and female, because Victor didn't really believe in the concept of attraction being abound to a certain gender. He much rather liked a person's nature or charisma instead of their physical features. Although he had to admit that Yuuri had both, a great personality and an innocent beauty that made Victor want to ravish him all day.

However, no matter how much Victor had liked a lover before, he'd never handed over control so thoroughly. Not until last night. And it hadn't even been Yuuri who'd asked for it, but Victor himself who'd offered to Yuuri that they should switch. There would've been other ways to satisfy Yuuri's extended stamina, other ways than for Victor to offer full penetration and everything that came with it.

But he'd done it anyway and found that no matter their position and dynamics, he could trust Yuuri. It was a strange feeling, a warmth deep inside his chest of which he hadn't known he'd missed it, until it came crashing back to him last night. First as the crippling fear that maybe Yuuri might not like what he would see once he took Victor apart piece by piece with his eyes and his hands and his mouth. And later as the bone crushing relief when Yuuri had laced their hands together in the lover's bind, grounding Victor in a moment of self-doubt.

Yuuri had wiped away all the remaining distance between them, bringing them closer than ever. Not only physically, but emotionally as well.

And Victor loved him for it.

He'd never voiced the words, not knowing if they would overwhelm Yuuri, but he wanted to say them. Wanted to tell the other man how much more he meant to Victor than anyone ever before. Wanted him to know that there was no doubt, no rift between them, but that Victor would do anything to keep Yuuri in his life. Not only for a few seasons of skating, but afterwards as well.

Victor just needed the right moment to tell Yuuri. The right moment to make it perfect and never-to-be-forgotten.

Teeth scraping over his bottom lips, Victor transferred one golden brown blini to the plate sitting on the kitchen counter next to the stove, before he added the next batch of dough to the pan. He really wasn't the best cook in the world, but he remembered his mother surprising him with blinis on Sunday mornings when he'd still lived with his parents.

To Victor, those early memories screamed of home and safety and belonging in a sense nothing else did and he hoped that maybe he could help Yuuri settle easier in Russia by copying what made Victor feel loved and welcomed.

In retrospect, maybe serving a traditional Japanese breakfast would have been better to achieve that, but as Russia had a very severe lack of comprehensive Asian supermarkets and short grain rice was not only expensive (which wouldn't have bothered Victor anyway) but also hard to come by, Victor had decided to go with what was available, hoping that Yuuri would appreciate it anyway.

And Yuuri had lived in Detroit for years. He surely had come into contact with foreign cuisine there and wouldn't mind doing the same now that he'd moved his home rink to Russia.

Nodding to himself and keeping one eye on the blinis in the pan, Victor picked up his phone from where it sat on counter. Checking his social media accounts had become a permanent feature in Victor's morning routine and while Yuuri never seemed to post anything at all, Victor enjoyed keeping his fans updated from time to time.

Victor scrolled through his Instagram feed, gaze glued to the small screen of the phone; Chris was apparently back in Geneva, training for the Swiss Nationals, after a short vacation with his long-time boyfriend. Whom Christ had of course introduced to Victor at some point in the last years, but Victor had (of course) forgotten his name. _Again_.

It was then, that he could hear the bedroom door being opened. Yuuri must have finally woken up.

Happy to greet his fiancé, Victor turned around, phone in one hand, spatula in the other: "Hey, Yuuri, seems Chris is back fr-", Victor stopped midsentence the moment he saw Yuuri standing in the doorway.

His face was slightly flushed and a shy smile traced along his lips. "Ohayoo, Victor", he greeted, black hair falling softly into his eyes. But far more striking than that was Yuuri's attire.

He stood one step into the room, wearing Victor's red and white Russian skating jacket. _And nothing but_.

Phone and spatula both slipped from Victor's suddenly numb fingers and collided with the hard wooden floor beneath his bare feet, but his mind never noticed. Breakfast was equally forgotten. All he could think of was Yuuri, standing there wearing Victor's sign of ownership with a nonchalance that bordered on ignorance, looking absolutely stunning.

His legs were bare and the jacked not even zipped up, one side of it sliding off Yuuri's chest and shoulder to reveal even more skin to Victor's burning gaze.

He looked gorgeous.

It took Victor no more than two long strides and a few seconds to reach his fiancé, lift him off his feet and swirl him around with way more force than needed for a person as small and light as Yuuri, eyes glued to where the open skating jacket met Yuuri's exposed skin.

A surprised huff escaped Yuuri's lips at the sudden assault, but he instinctively wrapped his arms around Victor's neck, muscles tensing the same way they would during a jump on the ice. A bubbly, happy laugh filled Victor's ears as Yuuri pressed his forehead against a strong shoulder.

"Victor! What are you doing?", he giggled, voice almost drowned by the laughter vibrating deep in his chest.

Instead of giving Yuuri the answer he probably deserved after being just lifted and spun around without warning, Victor just put him back down and captured his lips in a sweet and yet demanding kiss, not caring that there were still blinis cooking (and presumably burning) in the pan.

Yuuri still giggled slightly into their kiss and it left Victor with a beautiful feeling of warmth filling his chest like early morning light spilling over a soft woolen carpet. He felt so happy, he could burst.

„Yuuri", he said, vowels long and prominent, while pulling the jacket over Yuuri's exposed shoulder as if to dress him properly and shield him from any gaze that wasn't Victor's own despite the fact that they were very much alone in their apartment.

"It was a little chilly in the bedroom so I… took the liberty of borrowing your jacket… I hope that's okay", Yuuri said, flashing Victor a slightly apologetic smile as he looked up to him through thick black lashes illuminated by the morning sun.

Victor was suddenly quite grateful for his own laziness which had let him to hang the jacket over his chair instead of putting it back into the closet where it belonged. He didn't know if Yuuri would have left the bedroom wearing even less, but no matter how much Victor appreciated an (almost) naked Yuuri, nothing could compare to him in Victor's jacket. There was probably no item in his entire closet that Victor himself had worn more often and seeing it on his fiancé made him want to forget about everything they had planned for today and just push him back into their bedroom to have his way with him. With Yuuri wearing the jacket of course.

"Victor? Is everything alright?", Yuuri asked, tilting his head to the side and furrowing his brows. It was only then that Victor noticed that he hadn't given him an answer yet and probably looked like a grinning idiot to Yuuri.

"Ah, yes, yes. Everything alright", he answered, waving a hand in front of his face. It was a bit embarrassing even for him that Yuuri could throw him off his track so easily. "Just a little speechless".

"Speechless?", Yuuri echoed, he was still standing so close that his breath brushed over Victor's skin with the lightest of touches, setting his nerves on fire. It took a lot of willpower not to just scoop him up and ravish him on the kitchen counter.

"You look a little… distracting", Victor admitted, his voice deeper and richer than intended, but Yuuri's close proximity always did weird things to Victor's head.

Yuuri looked down at himself, cheeks still a little red and his lips forming a small 'o' as he realized that Victor was talking about the jacket. However, it seemed that Yuuri came to a very different conclusion for the nature of why exactly Victor was distracted. "Oh… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have… it's pretty chilly in the bedroom and my stuff is still packed so… I'm sorry… it's your jacket and I shouldn't have taken it".

"No, no. Please, don't apologize. You look… stunning".

"You… you like it? You don't think I intruded too much?"

Victor blinked for a few seconds, the words and their meaning sinking into his mind. Yuuri had apparently thought that Victor wouldn't want him to wear the jacket when actually he enjoyed it very much.

"I love it. Maybe I should hide all your other clothes while we're at home and have you walk around like this all the time", he joked (well half-joked, because really the thought was just so tempting!), flashing Yuuri a fond smile and running his index finger along Yuuri's jaw.

"Victor…", Yuuri began, suddenly furrowing his brows and tilting his head. "Does something smell burned?".

Burned? The words turned and turned in Victor's mind, it's meaning not really sinking in until Yuuri looked past him at the stove in Victor's back, where indeed a blini was still cooking in the pan. A blini Victor had totally forgotten about. A blini that was now probably burned black.

"Oh shit", he cursed, turning around while Yuuri again giggled at Victor's stunned face. He must have looked ridiculous, being so distracted by what Yuuri wore (or not) that he'd even forgotten about their breakfast. The very breakfast Victor had intended to surprise Yuuri with on his first morning in Russia.

He rushed back to the stove and cleared the pan of the blackened blini, which he disposed into the trash, trying to shield everything he was doing from Yuuri's gaze as to not only not embarrass himself further but also not to ruin the surprise. He still had enough dough left to make some more, thank God.

Fifteen minutes later, Victor looked at the amount of (unburned) blinis on the plate with Yuuri now curiously watching his every move. It didn't help that his fiancé still wore almost nothing but Victor's jacket (yes his mind had by now comprehended that Yuuri was indeed wearing boxer briefs), which made for a good enough distraction to have Victor clumsily drop the knife in his hands not only once but twice while spreading caviar on the topmost blini.

He had always enjoyed the rich and salty taste of caviar for breakfast, but he wasn't sure if Yuuri would as well and had therefore bought smoked salmon to offer an alternative to salty fish eggs, which by the way smelled delicious to Victor – like home and the open sea, all at once.

Yuuri still watched him with blatant curiosity, head tilted somewhat to the right, and stood close enough to almost lean against Victor. He could still call Yakov and tell him they'd both come down with the flu…

But his coach would see through his lie in an instant.

What a shame.

"Do you want to try them?", Victor offered while rolling the first blini into a perfect little bun, just like his mother had done all those years back. He hadn't properly cooked breakfast ever since he'd left his childhood home in Vladivostok at the tender age of eleven to come to St. Petersburg and train with Yakov. With Yuuri things were rapidly changing for the better.

"I'd love to", Yuuri answered, stepping a little closer still while Victor cut the bun into small stripes and took one of them between his thumb and index finger to feed Yuuri, who's lips were warm and silky against Victor skin and who's tongue touched his fingers ever so lightly as it curled around the slice of golden brown dough.

A very uncharacteristic sound, somewhere between a giggle and an actual laugh, escaped Victor at the feeling and Yuuri's cheeks blushed again slightly. Feeding someone with your bare hands, gazes locked while doing so, was incredibly intimate in a way that had Victor's chest practically glow with warmth.

A little bit of caviar was dripping down Yuuri's chin by the time Victor pulled his fingers back and Victor couldn't resist the urge to dip down and run his tongue over the soft skin and up to the corner of Yuuri's mouth, gathering the salty substance and pressing a soft skin to Yuuri's slightly glossy lips.

"Do you like it? If not, I also have smoked salmon to go with the blinis. I know you like salmon", Victor said, trying to sound more confident than he actually was. He'd never cooked for anyone before; had never tried to impress anyone with his cooking, let alone wanted to make them happy with it.

Yuuri licked his lips, chocolate brown eyes darting up at Victor as a smile spread on his face, warm and calm and loving. _Beautiful_. "It's good. I'm Japanese Victor. It's not like I don't know what caviar is", he said, voice swinging with kind amusement.

"I know, but it tastes different in Russia, so I wasn't sure", Victor explained, taking one of the blini slices and pushing it past his parted lips. It didn't taste exactly like his mother's, but Victor had never expected it to; hoped yes but not expected. However, it wasn't too bad either. The dough was soft and yet fluffy, the spices just right. He'd maybe used a little too much oil, making them greasier than intended.

"True enough, but I like it. Doesn't mean I don't want to try the salmon as well", Yuuri announced, grinning cheekily, tongue darting out to moisten his lips again, although Victor suspected him to have an ulterior motive as well. The motion just looked a little too seductive to be unintentional.

Victor nodded and finished the remaining blinis, either slathering them with caviar or spreading smoked salmon evenly on them, before rolling them into buns. Once done, he piled some on each of their plates and held one plate out for Yuuri. "Breakfast in bed?", he asked, grinning.

Yuuri took the plate from Victor and cocked one eyebrow at him. "As tempting as that sounds, we won't make it out of bed again if we go there now. And Yakov is gonna flay both of us alive if I keep you from practice on my first day ever".

As much as Victor wanted to spend the rest of the morning with Yuuri in bed, Victor knew that his fiancé was right when it came to Yakov. Victor's coach wasn't too thrilled about his student being a competitive skater and a coach at the same time and was therefore a bit wary of Yuuri's presence at the rink. It wouldn't do good to leave a bad impression on their first day.

So instead of spending a lazy morning in bed, Victor moved them both over to the sofa and pulled Yuuri in between his legs until he rested with his back against Victor's chest. Victor curled one arm around the smaller man's waist, balancing his plate on his free hand before putting it down on his bent knee. "Comfortable?", he asked, knowing that the position was a little unorthodox when it came to eating arrangements, but he really, really wanted to cuddle a little more before heading off to practice.

"Perfectly so", Yuuri replied, snuggling closer to Victor, his body relaxed and his voice content.

It was domestic.

It was nice

* * *

The rink in St. Petersburg really was something. It looked nothing like Yuuri's home rink back in Hasetsu, nor like the one he'd trained in during his days in Detroit, as it was far more classical in the western meaning of the word, than any rink Yuuri had seen so far. It looked like it had already been here since before the Russian Revolution, which was probably highly likely considering that figure skating had become popular in Europe in the 19th century already.

Yuuri still couldn't believe that Victor had willingly traded this elaborate building and everything that came with it, for a job as Yuuri's coach in Hasetsu Ice Castle. Saying Yuuri's old home rink looked meagre compared to this was putting it mildly.

The building itself was old, but in sound condition, endued with the latest cooling system to keep it open all year, even during warm Russian summers, a high end hi-fi equipment to make the best of the songs the skaters chose as their programs, even if was only for training, a gym and ballet studio and modern, pleasant locker rooms, providing the skaters with the opportunity to even spent their free time at the rink. (Who the hell had a TV in their ice rink?)

It was a little bit intimidating, but after upsetting Victor with exactly this track of thoughts, Yuuri decided to swallow his rising anxiety and try to stay calm. Victor wanted him here It wasn't wrong to relax and make good use of the improved circumstances under which he would train from now on.

Victor was to practice first today, giving Yuuri enough time to warm up his muscles and maybe even talk to the other skaters, of which he'd so far only really talked to Yurio.

"Hey, Nikiforov, can't remember you ever coming in this late", Yurio greeted them as soon as Yuuri and Victor walked through the door of the locker room, both of them dressed in sportswear, skates already on their feet and ready to get on the ice.

Getting changed with Victor had somehow calmed Yuuri's nerves. It was familiar terrain; something he'd done plenty before and that therefor gave him a sense of being in control.

Victor just raised one perfectly shaped, silver eyebrow at Yurio and shook his head. "I remember times when you barely showed up for practice at all", he answered, making Yuuri wonder when Yurio had ever let his training slide.

Certainly not since Yuuri had met the boy.

Yurio just huffed, turning his head as he leaned against the boards, elbows supporting his weight. Victor had obviously hit a nerve here.

"I'll go through my short program today, do you want to watch or do you want to practice by yourself until I'm done?", Victor asked, turning his head in Yuuri's direction, smiling at him. And Yuuri couldn't stop his treacherous lips from smiling back at him, even if he'd wanted to.

"Well, practice is always good, but I want to see you skate today. There'll be enough time for me to do my routines once you've finished", Yuuri replied. He really wanted to see Victor's Short Program after having talked about it with him via Skype for weeks before he came here; although he still not really knew what to expect.

They had talked about the SP, yes, but only about the technical part of the routine, not about the music Victor had chosen. It was to be surprise for Yuuri.

Victor nodded and pressed a soft kiss to Yuuri's temple, reminding him of why exactly they'd almost been late for training. Their shared breakfast on the couch had quickly turned into something far more pleasurable, the two men sharing soft, sweet kisses that made them forget what time it was until Makkachin had started to whine, begging to be walked.

And after said walk, they'd just gathered everything they needed before rushing to the rink as to not be late.

With the feeling of Victor's lips still tingling on his skin, Yuuri climbed up the ranks and sat down a few meters away from the rink to get a proper few of what Victor would show him. He curled his hands into fists on his thighs, anticipation rolling through him like waves. He hadn't see Victor do a routine since he'd shown him and Yurio the _Eros_ and _Agape_ programs.

It was only when Victor skated to the middle of the deserted rink, getting into his start position, that Yuuri realized how much he'd missed seeing his fiancé skate. It had of course been a blessing to train with him and Yuuri was grateful beyond words that Victor had come to Hasetsu to be his coach, but stealing him from the world really had been a crime.

Victor Nikiforov belonged on the ice.

The music started, notes, soft like a breeze in spring, filling the room with the beautiful sound of pianos and violins. The melody was sad, so sad that Yuuri could feel the tears burn in his eyes. A song about a loneliness that rooted deep inside Victor's heart. A plea for help, for someone to free him from the cold absence _love_.

Victor had told Yuuri that his theme for the rest of the season would be 'Life', but how could he choose a song this sad to represent life? Especially Victor's own life, which was a concatenation of successes.

"It's hauntingly beautiful, isn't it?", Mila asked, taking the seat next to Yuuri and smiling at him. They had never really talked to each other before, but somehow Yuuri didn't feel bad about her being there right now, even if the tears still burned in his eyes.

"Why?", he said quietly, his voice coming out rough and croaked, knowing that Mila would understand.

"Giving up your personal life to become a professional skater sometimes feels exactly like this…", Mila explained, her chin resting on her hands, elbows supported on her thighs. Deep, blue eyes were watching every one of Victor's moves; every jump and every pose. He looked so graceful, movements slow and perfectly in synch with the music. "I guess you made him realize how much he missed out on".

"Missed out on?", Yuuri asked, slightly confused. He'd always known that Victor had made sacrifices for his career. Hell, Yuuri had followed his every step since Victor had made his junior debut all those years ago; of course he knew that Victor had practically _lived_ for skating, but Yuuri had always assumed that Victor was happy like this. Or wasn't he?

"With a life like his, a career like this, everything personal falls by the wayside. He didn't have time for his family, or friends or a partner, who would stick with him through his busy schedule. Not until you came along at least and I guess this Short Program is how he deals with those years of loneliness. He told me that he wants the Free Skate to be about the time you two spent together… so… if his theme is 'life' and the FS represents the present… I guess this is his past", Mila explained, still not looking at Yuuri but rather at Victor, just as Yuuri did himself.

He watched in silence, thinking about Mila's words while Victor skated through the heart-breaking melody with unmatched grace. He was stunning really. And by the time the last tone faded, Yuuri felt his chest burn with the desire to take that loneliness from Victor and make him forget about it.

"It's good you're here now", Mila finally said, voice still soft and low but a tiny bit more hopeful than before. "He really needs you, just as much as you need him. Maybe you can help him finish the Free Skate". She rose from her seat and flashed Yuuri a fond smile, before walking down to the rink, where Georgi was already waiting for her.

Yuuri opened and closed his mouth. He really wanted to say something to her in reply, but she was gone before he got the chance, her words still stuck in his head. Help Victor with the Free Skate? Was something wrong? Something Victor hadn't told him yet?

It was strange to think of his fiancé as someone who would need Yuuri's help for anything, but maybe Mila was right and Victor was just as lost as Yuuri had been, only in a different way. And maybe, just maybe, Yuuri could help him just as much.

He would have to talk to Victor once practice was over.

 **Chapter 4 End**

 **To be continued…**

* * *

 **Soooo… Yurio only made a very short appearance here, but we'll see a lot more of him in the chapters to come. For now, I wanted to focus on Mila. I really like her in the anime and even if she doesn't seem too close to Victor at times, I still think she cares deeply about him and might have some insight that both Yuuri and Victor lack. Hope you like her this way. She'll of course stick with us.**

 **PS. Just in case anyone caught on the reference: Yes, Victor's past (hometown and when he came to St. Petersburg) is based off Evegni Plushenko :P**


	5. Let Me Help You Through the Night

**Hey guys,**

 **It's been a while. I really thought I'd be able to write during my time in Japan, but turns out I wasn't v.v The days were too packed and the nights too short ^-^;; But I'm back at home and although the con season starts, I'll make time to write! I want to thank all of you who patiently waited for this update and still stick with the story!**

 **I won't abandon anything! I promise! Even if life sometimes delays updates, I'm always gonna get back to writing! So thank you for the comments, kudos and follows, whether it be on or AO3! You guys are the best!**

 **The chapter now focuses more on Yuuri's and Victor's dynamics. On living together and what comes with it in their profession, now that Victor is not only a coach but a skater as well. I wanted to show how they can both learn from each other when they start to combine their strengths. So there's a lot of figure skating stuff in this chapter XD I hope you'll like it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Yuuri! on Ice - All characters belong to MAPPA and Mitsurō Kubo**

* * *

 **Chapter 5 Let me help you through the night**

Yuuri's own practice went as well as one could expect on their second day in a foreign country, with the jet lag still taking its toll. The jumps weren't quite right; the angles of his blades sometimes a little off, making it hard to land without falling.

Victor meanwhile watched Yuuri from his position at the boards, arms resting on the wooden edge. It was a little strange for Yuuri to see his fiancé go from skater to coach in ten seconds flat as if he'd just flipped a switch inside his head that made him go from cheerful to thoughtful quicker than Yuuri could take off his blade guards.

But he knew whom Victor did all that for and it made heat blossom in his cheeks. All of this still felt like a dream to Yuuri. He'd come to Russia, to Victor, to the man he loved. The man he had admired his entire life only to find that he was anything but what Yuuri had expected him to be and still so much better than all the fantasies he'd come up with over the years.

It wasn't only the physical aspect of their relationship (even if the sex was amazing, at least as far as Yuuri could tell), but everything really. Their entire dynamics that just seemed to click with an ease that should belong to an old married couple rather than two young men who'd discovered love only a few months ago. But with Victor, Yuuri felt like he could do whatever he set his mind to. And even if his anxiety haunted him at times, he knew he wasn't alone in that deep dark place anymore, but that Victor would always be his light in the darkness and guide him back when Yuuri lost himself in his mind.

They were made for each other and Yuuri wanted to convey that with every move, every delicate shift of his hips, every powerful push and every small gesture on the ice, to make the entire world see how much he loved Victor. Especially since he wouldn't skate in the same competitions as Victor till the World Championship.

"Yuuri!", Victor chirped, his blue, blue eyes bright with a childlike joy, his accent a little more prominent as he curled his tongue around the r. "That was great! Impressive for your first day here!"

The praise was enough to make Yuuri blush again, but he hoped he'd be able to hide the effect Victor's words had on him under the flush that already tinted his cheeks red, courtesy of a demanding training session.

He skated over to where Victor was leaning against the boards and stopped in front of him, panting a little and running the back of his hand over his forehead to wipe away the sweat. Victor had demanded for Yuuri to start slowly, but Yuuri had insisted on practicing quads today. He still struggled with the quad flip and on really bad days, when his mind played tricks on him, even the quad salchow could be a liability during competitions. The only way to take countermeasures was by practicing the jumps to perfection.

Yuuri couldn't afford to take things slow if he wanted to win the 4CC in February.

And even if neither Victor nor Yuri would compete against him, JJ and Phichit were serious competition as well.

"Not really. The quad flip is still pretty shaky sometimes. Add that to my nerves and I'll have to at least put a hand down in a competitive setting. I need to improve, if I want to make that jump a regular in my programs", Yuuri disagreed, hands on the barrier while Victor handed him a bottle of water to keep his body hydrated.

"Anyway", Victor said, clearing his throat. "We should call it a day. It's late and we still have to do some grocery shopping if we don't want to starve".

Yuuri furrowed his brows and sighed. He didn't feel ready to go home just yet. "Five more quads, okay? And then we can leave", he asked, taking a deep breath. His legs were a little wobbly from over exertion, but that had never kept Yuuri from practicing.

"Yuuri", Victor whined, a hand running through soft silver hair as he shook his head. "I can't convince you otherwise, can I?".

"No, not really", Yuuri smiled apologetically and pushed off the boards to take his spot in the middle of the rink and gain momentum for the next jump.

"Well, at least he shows some determination", a slightly grumpy voice stated from next to Victor, making him turn his head to face the other man.

"At this pace I fear he'll get injured sooner than later", he said, narrowing his eyes at Yakov. He'd half expected his own coach to be enamoured with Yuuri pretty fast once he realized how much effort and ambition Yuuri put into practice. Something Victor had always lacked.

'Too much natural talent' Yakov had called it and never got tired of pointing out the importance of going over the basics again and again even if Victor always claimed that he already knew how do them.

"If you aim for perfection, you must get all the little details right, not only the hard parts", Yakov said, repeating yet another sentence Victor had heard so often, he could recite it himself by now.

"Too bad you aren't his coach, but I am", Victor replied watching Yuuri perform a slightly under rotated quad flip, the second one already and it was obvious that the younger skater, although blessed with a lot more stamina than anyone else in the room, had reached his limit.

"Vitya…", Yakov warned, arms crossed in front of his chest. Victor could already see the small vein pulse on the other man's forehead; a sure sign that he was pissed off and grumpy (which happened quite often).

Victor didn't say anything. He hated being scolded like a child, while Yurio got away with all of his antics easily. He knew it was probably immature, but Victor felt like he was getting the raw deal compared to the other skaters in Yakov's team. And he didn't only mean Yurio, but Georgi and Mila as well.

Lately it seemed, Victor was the only one being constantly yelled at.

Two salchows and another flip, during which Yuuri had to put his hand down due to exhaustion, later, the Japanese Skater glided over to them, blade angled in front of him to slow down, but careful not to spray any ice into the air as he came to a halt in front of the two men.

"Putting more work into your weaknesses is a good thing, but Vitya's right. Don't overdo it", Yakov said, unbidden but nonetheless appreciated (at least by Yuuri), before he turned and left the two men to themselves.

"What's wrong with him? That was almost a praise.", Yuuri asked, taking an offered towel from Victor to wipe away the sweat trickling down his neck. He was panting and could feel the pressure of his skates against his ankles. Practicing flips and salchows for hours had caused him to only put stress onto the inner blade of his skates. A one-sided strain that he now had to pay for.

Back in the day when Yuuri had first started to skate, that very same pain had been his constant companion. Every move and figure had been easier for him when performed with his weight on his right leg, causing Yuuri to constantly put pressure onto his right ankle until he'd been banned from training due to a severe tendonitis.

"I guess he envies me my student ", Victor chirped, leaning forward to steal a quick kiss from his fiancé.

"Victor", Yuuri whined, taking a step back. "I'm all sweaty and sticky. Don't do that".

Victor just chuckled some and took the towel from Yuuri, exchanging it with the red and white blade guards he was holding. Victor still hoped that he could one day convince his fiancé to get new ones, maybe in Russian colours, but it was too early to ask for that yet. Yuuri had landed only twenty-four hours ago and Victor almost expected him to have an anxiety attack due to homesickness.

"Stop fooling around Vitya and get him home. It's getting dark outside and that boy's not used to Russian winters. It's not getting warmer without the sun out", Yakov grumbled from where he was collecting several items Yurio and Mila had been too lazy to stow away before going home, afterwards turning his back to the two skaters and walking off towards his office.

With Yakov gone, Yuuri and Victor were the only ones left in the rink; Georgi, Yuri and Mila having left some thirty or so minutes ago.

"You know… I think it would be nice to have the rink all to ourselves and skate together. Not as practice but… just for fun…", Yuuri said, turning his head to take in the empty ice behind him and the way the setting sun fell through the windows, giving the sparkling surface of the ice a golden gleam.

Victor smiled and held a hand out for Yuuri to take it as the younger man got off the ice. (Not that he needed it, but Victor considered it a romantic gesture). "We can do that. Maybe on the weekend? Before the rink opens for the public? I would love to see you skate again just for the fun it", he answered, remembering the times when they'd snuck into Ice Castle back in Hasetsu to make good use of the keys Yuuko had entrusted to them.

Yuuri was beautiful just skating to himself, without music and lacking the pressure of practice or competitions. He would mostly do step sequences and spins, exploiting his strengths to entrance Victor over and over again.

"Really? I would love to do that!", Yuuri said, big brown eyes bright with a joy Victor knew all too well. They both belonged on the ice and even if they enjoyed being professionals, they sometimes envied armatures the ease and lightheartedness with which they glided over the ice, while for Yuuri and Victor being on the ice mostly meant serious business instead of free time fun.

"We will. But know you need to take a shower. As much as it bugs me, Yakov is right, it's gonna be shit cold once the sun sets and I want to get you home as soon as possible. We need to buy you winter proof clothes on the weekend", Victor said, shooing Yuuri into the direction of the showers while he himself entered the locker rooms to pack most of their stuff already.

Thinking about their fun times in Ice Castle had brought back a different track of thought as well. One, Victor had tried to shove into the back of his mind and not dwell on too much, but he knew he couldn't postpone it for much longer. Not with the Russian nationals so close.

The step sequence of his Free Program.

While most of the routine was already finished and Victor, being the genius he was, had also memorized each part well enough to perform the program in front of the jurors, but it still lacked the step sequence. Whatever Victor came up with, never felt right. It either didn't fit into the rest of the program or wouldn't push his base score high enough to keep up with Yurio and Yuuri.

It was frustrating really.

Here he was. Two of his three world records broken and yet unable to come up with two routines to take back his title as the world's best figure skater in living memory. Well, racking his brain wouldn't help Victor at this point. He needed to get back to his program at home, where he could sit on his couch and write down the various possibilities he had for his step sequence and go over them again and again, until he found a version he liked well enough to include into the Free Skate.

"Victor? Did you pack everything so far?", Yuuri smiled at him, standing in the doorframe with his hair still wet from the shower, wearing nothing but his black slacks yet. Water trickled down his neck and collarbone, leaving beautiful traces of liquid on soft skin and drawing Victor's gaze to the glistening droplets. He unconsciously licked his lips.

"Victor?"

"Ah, yes I did, _zolotse moya_ , but we need to get your hair dried before we leave", Victor finally answered, after Yuuri's voice roused him from his daydreams of what he could do with his tongue to catch the droplets on the younger man's skin.

The St. Petersburg rink came (thank God!) with a styling area complete with mirrors, hair straightener, blow dryer and everything else you might need to get ready to take the ice. Victor motioned for Yuuri to sit down in a chair in front of him and ran one hand through damp hair, before reaching for the comb and carefully styling his fiancé's black strands with it afterwards.

He always made sure not to hurt Yuuri when he did his hair, which had become kind of a routine since their time in Hasetsu or rather, since the Onsen on Ice event, when no stylists had been present and Victor had insisted on doing Yuuri's hair to make it match his black and silver eros costume.

Ever since, Victor relished in the feeling of Yuuri's hair running through his fingers like silk through water and he loved the contend little noises that would leave Yuuri's lips at Victor's gentle treatment. The gesture had become as intimate to them as love making, bringing them closer each time Victor's hand touched Yuuri's hair.

Warm air filled the room once he switched the blow dryer on, careful not to choose the highest level of temperature as he knew that Yuuri reacted rather sensitive to heat, despite growing up with a family that owned an onsen.

A happy sigh escaped Yuuri's lips and he leaned back against Victor, making the other man's heart do a little jump in his chest at the display of trust. They had gotten together after the Cup of China and it had taken them a while to figure out how to act around each other now that they were more than just coach and student, especially since Yuuri had never been in a relationship before. Such open trust was something to be earnt and not easily granted, which made Victor all the happier. He'd sworn to himself to always cherish Yuuri and make sure he was happy with him in St. Petersburg.

"There, all done", Victor said, putting away the comb and blow dryer, but placing a soft kiss against Yuuri's temple as the younger man turned towards him. "Now, although I enjoy having you half naked, we should get you dressed and go home".

Yuuri blushed slightly, brown eyes darting through the room to make sure that no one was there to overhear their conversation, even if he knew that all the other skaters had left the rink long before them. Even Yurio had gone home already, claiming that he was going to barf if he had to watch Yuuri and Victor for another minute.

"Going home sounds good", Yuuri replied, getting up from his chair. He handed Victor the towel he had brought from the shower, to stuff it into their bag and walked over to where his clothes were still neatly folded and waiting for him in one of the lockers.

Ten minutes later, Yuuri was clad in layers above layers of shirts and sweaters, because Victor had insisted on him to get 'properly dressed', and properly meant well wrapped up in more sweaters than Yuuri knew he possessed to keep the cold at bay. Of course, Yuuri had protested earlier that day, but who could say no to Victor's puppy eyes really? So instead of stripping off some of the layers, he had sighed and accepted his fate.

* * *

Grocery shopping wasn't that much different from what Yuuri knew from home. Only the products on display were naturally somewhat different, but that experience wasn't new either. When Yuuri had first come to Detroit it had taken him hours to decide what to buy, especially since his English had not been that proficient at the time and he often had had no idea what he'd just bought.

This time however, he wasn't alone and Victor knew exactly what he wanted to buy, bustling around the shelfs and loading more stuff into Yuuri's arms than anyone could possibly carry, but he somehow managed not to drop everything. So much for 'let's just pick a few things'. Yuuri shook his head and smiled as he followed Victor to the checkout counter, and listened to him talk with the cashier in rapid Russian while loading everything into the bag.

Seeing Victor here in Russia, where he could easily communicate with everyone without the limits of a language barrier, made Yuuri's heart swell with a strange kind of warmth. While Yuuri often kept to himself, Victor was far more outgoing and social. It had probably been quite hard for him, to not be able to talk to people in Japan, not even to Yuuri's parents or sister, although he had picked up some basic Japanese over the course of the months.

"Time to go home, it's starting to snow", Victor announced, once everything was packed. He placed another kiss on Yuuri's hair, making the younger man blush again, but Victor was a sucker for PDA and St. Petersburg Russia's gay capital, so why bother to restrain?

Back at home Victor decided on a quick dinner, claiming they would have time to properly cook on the weekend (and Yuuri seriously started to wonder how much his fiancé was going to fit into two free days). They cleared the table together afterwards and took Makkachin for a walk around the block.

Neither Victor nor Yakov had been lying, with the sun sunk behind the western horizon, the temperatures had fallen tremendously again, leaving Yuuri shivering despite his thick coat and sweaters. He'd never worn that much clothing at once but nonetheless couldn't get warm. Not really at least. There was always a chill clinging to him, creeping under his garments.

The Russian winter certainly left him glad for central heating and Victor's warm condo.

Outside, it had become 'too cold for snow' as Victor put it, and Yuuri immediately disappeared under a thick cover on the sofa, wrapped in the fabric like a living burrito, once they had walked through front door and gotten rid of their shoes. He didn't even switch on the lights. Victor thought it was adorable even if he felt a little sorry for his poor fiancé. He was having a hard time coping with the temperatures and part of Victor wished they could have stayed in Japan.

Not only because of the weather conditions, but also since Yuuri missed his family and friends already. He might try to hide his discomfort at being separated from them again, but Victor knew better. He had to give his all, to make Yuuri feel comfortable in yet another foreign country to live in.

He sat down next to Yuuri on the sofa and tilted his head while looking at him. "Getting warm again?", Victor asked, his voice laced with an affectionate amusement. His fiancé was just too cute, looking like a bundle of fluffy covers with large dark eyes.

"Yeah, a lot actually", Yuuri said, then paused and liked his lips. His gaze darted from Victor's eyes to Makkachin, who curled up on his dog bed next to the sofa with a yawn. "Can… can I ask you something?". The words were low, almost guarded; as if Yuuri wasn't sure how Victor would react once the question was out in the open.

"Of course you can. Everything, my love", Victor replied, feeling a little nervous himself now. What could be so bad that Yuuri wasn't sure if he it was a good idea to voice his question?

"Mila told me you were… stuck on your Free Skate… is that true?"

Well… that wasn't what Victor had expected, but that didn't make it any less true. He was stuck and it shouldn't surprise him that Mila felt the need to talk about it with Yuuri, guessing correctly that Victor hadn't done so yet. Not out of a lack of trust or something. But rather because he knew how much Yuuri blamed himself for keeping Victor from competing so far this season. Telling him that Victor wasn't sure if he could finish his Free Skate in time for the Russian Nationals would only fuel that guilt and increase Yuuri's anxieties.

Victor didn't want that.

"I have to admit, she's not wrong", Victor confessed, taking a clipboard and pencil as well as his phone from the side table. "I already came up with the song and the jumps. And the spins. But…", he took a deep breath, holding Yuuri's questioning gaze. "I'm stuck on my step sequence".

"Can I hear what you chose?", Yuuri asked, leaning forward a little to get closer to Victor. He was now leaning with his chest against Victor's bend legs, the covers around his shoulders tickling at the exposed skin of Victor's ankles where his pants had ridden up.

Victor nodded and unlocked his phone to select the song from among his skating playlist while Yuuri reached for the earbuds attached to the device and plugged them into his ears. He closed his eyes and listened after Victor pressed the 'play' button, his features relaxed and yet focused.

The music was beautiful. Slow and yet with a graceful power, its rhythm flowing in and out in waves like ocean water hits a beach and the tune of the piano as hopeful as the warm sun on your face after a long and dark winter. Yuuri could envision it perfectly; the way Victor's body would move to the soft tones, the song mixing with the sharp sounds of blades cutting through ice after a powerful jump or a swirling spin.

 _Life_. Life was the theme Victor had chosen for his program this year and Yuuri didn't have to be a genius to grasp at why his fiancé had chosen those two very different songs to express what the theme meant to him. They were chosen for him. For Yuuri. The sad, haunted Short Program dedicated to the time before they had known each other and the strong, hopeful Free Skate an homage to their time together. Past and Present melting together in two routines that complimented each other perfectly.

Victor wanted to show his love for Yuuri to the entire world.

The thought alone brought tears to Yuuri's eyes and a joy to his heart that was more than words could ever describe.

He reached for the clipboard, his fingers brushing along Victor's knuckles and even if it was nothing but a small, chaste touch, it was enough to knock the breath out of Yuuri. Overwhelmed with emotion, it didn't take much to throw him off track.

He smiled before looking down at the sheet of paper stuck on the wooden board. It had Victor's neat handwriting all over it but was riddled with abbreviations. Some of them Yuuri understood. Things like 3AL or 4FL - triple Lutz and quad Flip - _obviously._ Other things however were too abridged for him to decipher and he scrunched up his nose. Yuuri didn't get more than a faint idea of what the program would look like.

He raised his gaze to meet Victor's for a minute then looked back down. It was easy to see where the step sequence was missing, made obvious by the large gap between Victor's last jump before and the hydroblade after what was to be the step sequence.

The last jump was planned be a toe loop, meaning Victor would be going backwards on his right outside edge once he landed. From there he had to transition into his steps.

Yuuri hit the 'replay' button to listen to the song once again. The music made it easy to detect when the steps would begin. And Yuuri could envision it. Could see Victor do the jump and move gracefully into the still missing part of his routine. Yuuri knew what he wanted to see Victor perform. He knew how to translate the feeling of the song and their tender relationship into the motions needed.

Step sequences had always been Yuuri's strong suit.

Looking at the clipboard again, he sat his pencil down, but frowned. Yuuri was a skater, not a choreographer; he had no idea how to translate the movements his mind provided him with into actual language.

"Can I try something?", he asked, handing board and pencil back to Victor, who just nodded and tilted his head looking like a curious puppy.

"Anything you want, _zolotse moya_ ", he answered with a nod. So far Yuuri had been nothing but quiet, not betraying what he thought about the song or the program Victor had come up with. It made him a little nervous. But now his fiancé was finally taking action!

Throwing Victor one last glance, Yuuri disentangled himself from the fluffy covers and got off the sofa. He pushed the little coffee table away to create more space in front of the couch, before taking position at the centre of the now empty part of the room.

And without saying a word, he started to dance with Victor's eyes glued to him.

It was perfect. There was no music, no sound whatsoever, only Yuuri, dancing in front of him, toes sinking into the deliciously soft carpet, his movements fluent even off the ice and his eyes sparkling while he tried to show to Victor what his words had lacked to convey, making him hear the melody with his eyes while he watched every small gesture, every delicate step. It was all there on open display; their love unfolding for everyone to see.

A step sequence so breathtakingly beautiful that Victor couldn't tear his eyes away. It was a perfect fit. Every shift of Yuuri's hips was graceful, like silk running smoothly over heated skin. It was pure and yet alluring, drawing the audience in until they clung to is every step, eager for more.

Yuuri obviously didn't need the ice to be the most graceful dancer in the room.

With the fade light of the moon falling through the ground to ceiling windows, illuminating his handsome features, he looked like an ethereal being to Victor. Like light made flesh.

And nothing in the world could stop Victor from discarding the clipboard onto the sofa (not caring that the pencil rolled off a cushion and fell to the ground only to disappear under the sofa), as he got up and joined his fiancé.

There was still no music, but it also wasn't needed. Yuuri was perfectly capable of creating music with his body and Victor could simply join him without having to think about it. Their bodies and movements fell into sync as easily as falling asleep, once Victor had placed one hand on Yuuri's waist and curled his other around the younger man's fingers.

They transitioned from step sequence into pair dance without difficulty, together dancing to a melody that wasn't even there but could be heard all the same.

Makkachin only once raised his head as if to ask his daddies what exactly they were doing, but he quickly went back to dozing, apparently used to their strange behaviour by now.

And Victor… Victor tilted his head a little to look into Yuuri's eyes while they danced across the carpet and by now he felt like drowning in those endless pools of molten chocolate.

With Yuuri, he had not only found a lover, but a partner who completed Victor in every part of his life. On the ice and off. Day and night. In sadness and in joy.

For the first time in years, Victor was truly happy.

"Do you like the sequence?", Yuuri asked, spinning around in Victor's arm as a consequence of a particularly bold move. His cheeks were slightly pink but whether it was from dancing or embarrassment, Victor couldn't tell.

Yuuri always remained so uncertain of his own achievements and talents - it was almost painful to watch. He still underestimated his abilities and questioned his every move.

"More than like, Yuuri. I think it's perfect. Will you let me include it into my Free Skate?", Victor replied, leaning forward a little to bring their faces closer. So close they were almost kissing.

"O… Of course! That's why I came up with it in the first place!", Yuuri exclaimed, his voice somewhat too high but his graceful movements not faltering; not even for a heartbeat.

Victor smiled and placed a loving kiss on Yuuri's forehead. It was just too easy to get the younger man all worked up, but Victor found it too cute to do anything about it. "And will you let me add you as my choreographer?".

The words made Yuuri blink, brows rising in astonishment as he bit his bottom lip. "V- Victor! It's your program! You did the choreography! You can't add me!", he said, shaking his head vigorously.

"Not entirely, no. A very important part of my free skate was choreographed by you and you should take credit for it. I couldn't have come up with those beautiful and yet fitting steps. That was all you. Please Yuuri, let me give you the credit you deserve", he pleaded, blue eyes big and round and so irresistible that they made Yuuri's resolutions crumble every time Victor used _the gaze_ on him.

Yuuri huffed and looked a little deflated. "Okay… add me as your choreographer. But if anyone asks, you make sure to tell them that I only helped with the step sequence and nothing more. I couldn't even tell you how to do it! I had to dance the steps. What lame kind of a choreographer is that?".

"Not a lame one, but a very special one. And above all, my favourite choreographer in the world", Victor retorted, this time leaning in to capture Yuuri's lips in a soft kiss.

They were still moving; their bodies continuing the steps Yuuri had begun and the moon was still their only source of light in the room. It was peaceful, like a late night practice in Ice Castle.

Just the two of them, perfectly moving in sync while their lips danced across each other in a slow rhythm.

"You are impossible, Victor Nikiforov", said Yuuri, his voice kind and fond, before fusing their lips back together.

Victor couldn't wish for a better start for his comeback.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I'm already working on the next update! Btw the injury Yuuri describes in the beginning? It's something that happens to me all the time when I train during the winter season XD My right leg is more stable and I tend to put all my weight on it until my coach scolds me for it ^/^ If you wonder why Victor got stuck on the step sequence, there will be more explanation in the chapters to come hihi. Nobody is perfect, eh?**

 **So, please tell me what you think of this chapter! And if you have any questions or things you want to tell me, just come and find me on tumblr - kiharisdream ^-^ Love you all!**

 **PS: If you want to listen to the music for the Free Skate, just look for 'Wind beneath my Wings instrumental' on YouTube!**


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